Of Students and Guardians
by Tourvelix
Summary: After getting accepted into the Runeterra Academy, Reginald and Sophie will soon find out that their time at this place won't be so peaceful and quiet as they initially imagined. They will have to survive not only the monsters that attack the academy but also the duties of being a student in this prestigious institution.
1. Chapter 1

Arc I

Welcome to the Academy

* * *

It was a sunny day, perfect for their first day at the academy. It would be a lie to say they weren't nervous since moving from their old school to a new place was kind of a challenge, being the new ones meant to be observed until everyone considered you weren't a creepy person and instead some cool guy. Leaving all your friends behind is sad and trying to find new ones is sad as well since you don't know how many would share your interests or even if they were going to be friendly, that was the mentality this two kids had in their minds and after hearing some interesting facts about the students they couldn't have a happy thought. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't try, on the contrary if they wanted to fit into this new `society´ they had to do their best efforts.

¨I know you are nervous, but you don't have to be silent about it¨ The girl at the side of brown haired boy smiled ¨It's a new school but-¨

¨Academy¨ He immediately corrected her.

¨Academy… yes, but it's nothing to worry about¨ She looked through her window from the car ¨I am nervous too but am I freaking out?¨

The kid turned his head to the right just to have a small glance of his friend ¨I'm not freaking out, it's just… something new. You and I heard about weird stuff at that place and yet I'm still wondering why did our parents allow us to go here?¨

¨That's because your parents heard that it had a good educational level, Reginald¨ The female driver spoke up ¨We also discussed with Sophie's dad and thought it was a nice idea¨

¨Great¨ Reginald sighed ¨Now our parents are against us…¨

¨Relax Ren, what makes you think this will go wrong? Maybe we are exaggerating and things are not that bad¨ The long raven haired girl relaxed on her seat and waited for them to arrive to the academy.

* * *

¨Thanks mom!¨ Sophie waved as the car left the two new students by the gates of this enormous place.

Despite seeing pictures on the internet the entire academy campus was huge, the main building on the opposite side and with the different wings at each side gave the feeling that the place was a fortress, although instead of soldiers and generals there were students and teachers. The amount of people going through the gates was massive and they were all spreading out, meeting with their friends and talking about how they spent their vacations. Both Reginald and Sophie hoped to see anybody from their group of friends but unfortunately there was no one they recognized, only unknown people for them.

The majority of the students were wearing the uniform while just a few were quite the rebels that had a single piece of the regulated clothes; however none of the teachers seemed to tell them otherwise. Sophie was wearing a short-sleeved white shirt with a red-pinkish tie and a gray formal jacket on top; she also had a checkered skirt with small details in black, short white socks and a pair of black shoes; on the other hand Reginald had a similar attire except that he had dress pants with the same style and color and instead of a short sleeved shirt it was a long one along with the gray formal jacket. Both of them were carrying their backpacks with just a few pens and a couple of notebooks.

¨You think we'll fit in?¨ Reginald asked, being overwhelmed by the amount of people all around them.

¨It's not going to be bad… I mean, it will if we act weird or something similar we might get branded as such¨ The girl with brown eyes muttered, holding to her backpack.

¨I haven't seen so many Yordles in a single place…¨ The green eyes from the kid were amazed at little humanoids walking around and talking with people not only from their kind but also humans as well. He raised his sight and saw that far away from this big crowd there was a stage where a man as going to talk, sitting at each side of this person there were other adults, probably teachers, looking at the students ¨Look at that, come on¨

This two friends tried to get past the horde just to end up in the middle of it but they were able to look and listen at the man on the stage. He was old and didn't seem like a friendly person, the gray hairs on his beard made it look as if he was a wise person also the pipe in his hand and the glasses hanging from his neck tried to put more weight onto this trope. Before he spoke the man tapped on the microphone, only a few people paid attention while the rest were still talking ¨Students!¨ The voice of the old man was heard through the speakers and the entire campus went silent.

¨Thank you¨ The man cleared his threat before spewing more words into the microphone ¨Welcome to a new year here at Runeterra Academy, I can already see some familiar faces and some new ones, let's hope the newcomers don't step into detention so often¨ Some laughs could be heard from the crowd, including a few teachers ¨Before starting this day we want to address something important, there have been rumors that started last year on regards some problems that ended up in the police coming to the academy's premises. Let's try to avoid that again, especially the spreading of those fake rumors, it wouldn't surprise me that it started as a joke from any student and later it became a serious topic. That being said, I once again welcome you to Runeterra Academy¨ The old man finished his speech and walked away, leaving another teacher to organize the horde of students.

It took quite a while to make everyone retreat from the big green area and to the classrooms. Sadly for Reginald and Sophie they weren't in the same class and they even were on different parts of the academy.

...

The boy was assigned to classroom 205, second floor of the left wing. Most of the seats were occupied so he had to choose one that was by the windows, he unpacked his materials and left them on the desk while waiting for the teacher to arrive.

¨Hey…¨ Ren turned his head to his right and looked at the guy who called him ¨You're new here right?¨ The young man smiled, his blue eyes and golden hair shined against the sun coming from the window.

¨Yeah… this… this is my first day here¨

The other student extended his hand to greet the newcomer ¨The name's Ezreal¨

The brown haired boy did the same to greet the blond ¨I'm Reginald¨ He looked to the front, seeing as the last remaining students entered into the class ¨So… what are we supposed to have today?¨

¨I don't know, we know which class we get after the professor enters¨ With those words the adult they were all waiting for crossed the door to the classroom ¨History…¨ Ezreal sighed, returning to his normal position.

¨Attention class¨ The teacher was a bald man but with a black goatee, he used glasses and a black two-piece suit; he brought with himself a big book as well as a folder, after leaving everything on the desk he stood in front of it, looking at all the students ¨I see new faces and old ones…¨ He shook his head ¨For those who don't know me my name is professor Ryze, you can call me by that name or even professor, if any of you dare to call me you `bro´ or `dude´ or any of the slang you kids use I will send you to detention, keep doing it and it will leave a mark on your record¨

Everyone looked at each other silently, Reginald turned to Ezreal who shrugged. The new kid decided to lean towards the blond's seat ¨Are all the teachers like this?¨

¨Definitely not, but last year many people claimed Ryze was one of the hardest teachers in this subject, they said his exams are close to impossible since-¨

¨Ezreal…¨ The teacher crossed his arms and raised a brow at the blond who immediately stopped talking to the brown haired kid.

¨Yes professor?¨ Ez's voice was shaky, afraid of what kind of punishment he might receive.

¨Tell your talking partner to come here, he's a new face and as such he should introduce to the class¨ Everyone laughed and Ren stood up, walking to the front while Ryze sat on the chair behind his desk.

¨Um… hello, I'm Reginald Miles, this is my first day at the Academy and I uh… hope I can get along well with everyone¨ His presentation was not the best one as he earned a few applauses, although all of them were mostly sarcastic ¨(This will be a horrible year…)¨ He though and returned to his seat, seeing as how another student went to the front.

* * *

¨We want to know a bit more about you miss…¨ The French teacher known as Miss Fiora Laurent was sitting on her desk, crossing her legs and fixing her black skirt.

¨Miller… Sophie Miller¨ The girl said, she tried not to sound nervous even if on the inside she was ¨I'm 17 years old and… and I'll try fit in here, I like the academy and all even if it's my first day and I hope not to disappoint anyone, not even the professor¨ Sophie turned to see Fiora who didn't seem too eager to have the class interrupted by unnecessary talk ¨I'm… I'm going to return to my seat¨ The teacher nodded and told somebody else to come to the front.

Before she could even reach her seat, the newcomer felt someone's leg near her ankles and causing her to fall to the ground, the loud thud made everyone in the classroom laugh. Sophie raised her eyes and saw the cyan haired girl, her two ponytails, loose tie and colored fingernails gave the impression this one was either a bully or a rebel, maybe both. When the black haired was able to stand up again the guilty one just smiled.

¨Welcome to the academy darling, I'm Jinx¨ She whispered and saw Sophie sitting on her desk; it was going to be a long year and with someone like this rebel sitting just next to her it will be quite the pain.

* * *

 **So yeah, I guess my retirement is not so much of a retirement but a hiatus that I took. What can I say? My writing might be shit but it keeps me occupied with something.**

 **Now before going into some questiions and other stuff I'll talk about this fic:**

 **I've been working on this story during my hiatus and had the idea from a long time ago, even before the announcement of the new Star Guardian lineup; originally it was going to be an Arcade themed one but after doing some changes here and there it ended up being something along the lines of Academy-Star Guardians. There will be NO schedule for this fic and I will be posting when I have the chapters and such, no rushing.**

 **I spent some hours reading theories and stuff about this AU in the game and got inspired to do this story, let's see how it turns out in the long run!**

 **...**

 **Now let's talk about general stuff, if you are an old reader you might be wondering: 'What is going to happen with Heroes & Legends?' I'm not going to delete it and I will try to update it, got some ideas for the next chapter and I hope to finish it. I won't talk about _when_ the chapter will be released as I learned that trying to make a schedule and keeping a close eye to it just killed me and the results of the chapters ended up being quite poor or just bad. With this, I plan to put a close to that universe once I upload the last chapter of H&L, no pre-sequels, spin-offs or anything similar. If I do upload a chapter it will be just small stuff, nothing else.**

 **As always if you want to talk you can find me on Discord at Discord dot gg / UpMHen3 , there are many authors there from fics you might recognize so feel free to hang there and have some fun!.**

 **That is all, it's kinda weird to be here even if I said I would retire but after two years of writinig I just feel I can't leave it just like that, and if I do, I want all of my stories to have an ending. That being said... oh I missed saying this words:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

The first two periods ended and recess started, the entire classroom went nuts after the professor left and while some students ran to the hall and the courtyard some others decided to stay inside and talk to the rest of the people. Sophie belonged to this group, she stayed at her desk and looked at the phone; she knew first day would be a bit rough due to being the new one in the class, meeting new people, new teachers, but she wasn't prepared for the person sitting on the desk to her left.

Jinx was a nuisance for the entirety of the two periods, she started by grabbing a pair of scissors and marking the desk, drawing stars, bullets and two round-like creatures with a black and white color. She then put on the earbuds and played music from her phone, it wasn't loud enough for the professors to hear but everyone close to Jinx probably did. As she kept drawing and leaving marks on her desk, she started to look at what Sophie was doing, most specifically copying some of the answers to a few questions. If it weren't for the fact that it was the first day, the new girl would've probably accused the rebel to the professors, she hoped that the next day the cyan haired would calm.

After talking to her mom about this `horrible student´ she felt someone was looking her from behind, as she turned to this weird presence she found out another girl with tanned skin, dark freckles above the cheeks and coffee-colored eyes ¨I can see you already met Jinx¨

¨Who are you?¨

¨Taliyah, joined last year and had the `pleasure´ to meet the rebel of the class¨ This girl started a conversation with Sophie, the latter turned to have a better look. Unlike her, Taliyah wasn't using the formal jacket and instead she had the white shirt with a red tie and small white dots ¨Try don't to mind her, she won't change¨

¨You sure? I've met people who-¨

¨She won't change. Jinx used to be a bit more quiet on what she did, but after the mid-year vacations no one knew what happened, but she became more wild¨ The schoolmate commented and pointed at the drawings on the desk ¨She shouldn't bother you as long as you mind your own business and don't go into hers¨ Taliyah looked at the rebel's desk and then at the raven haired ¨You'll like the academy, the people right here are quite likeable, except for a few lost cases…¨

¨Yeah I can tell already¨ Both chuckled ¨I'm wondering, is it true what the principal said? Some problems that ended up in the police coming here?¨ There was no doubt Sophie was curious, Reginald warned about weird stuff happening but hearing something similar from the person in charge of the entire place? That was something worth asking.

¨Do you have internet at your home?¨ The new girl raise one of her brows ¨Let's just say you live under a rock for a moment, sorry if you actually are. This academy has seen seen quite the problems for over a year now, everyone claim it's weird monsters that attack students¨

¨Weird monsters?¨ Sophie chuckled again ¨That sounds like a prank¨

¨No, look¨ Taliyah pulled her phone and opened the internet browser, after typing the name of a blog she showed a set of pictures to the other student.

As she swiped the pictures Sophie saw what she meant with `weird monsters´. Those were four legged creatures; some were the size of baby while there were others that got closer to a meter. One of those was a black-greenish creature that walked in two legs and with a big maw, after that there were more of the regular monsters.

This raised the girl's attention, but one of the pictures showed something completely different, there were two girls wearing weird sailor uniforms. One of them had purple hair, elf-like ears, a long staff and was floating as well; the other one had red hair with two long ponytails, unlike the other one she was holding a strange pistol and close to her there were two floating thingies with wings, one of them black and the other one white.

¨Those aren't monsters¨ Taliyah looked at Sophie after hearing that and turned the phone to see what was on the screen ¨Who are they?¨

¨They seem to be called Star Guardians or something¨ The student showed the screen to the newcomer once again, this time with more pictures related to this strange girls ¨I've been told the first one appeared two years ago, last year after the vacation recess more of them appeared, and so did the creatures¨

¨Star Guardians…¨ Sophie whispered, frowning at all the sailor-outfitted girls ¨People don't seem to mind their existence here¨ She looked around and no one was talking about what was on the blog, maybe there weren't enough witnesses?

¨They do, but it's been quite a while since any of those monsters appeared, without them the Star Guardians won't appear. There's a theory that they are students in this academy, but surprisingly, she couldn't get a clear shot of the girls' faces¨

¨She? The owner?¨

Taliyah nodded ¨Ahri, she's the kind of person that is into any gossip that is around the academy, and yes she used her old blog about herself and turned into a Star Guardian thingy just to boost her ego¨ The tan-skinned girl put her phone back on her backpack ¨Anyway nobody has seen those girls again so we take they returned to their normal lives¨

¨And aren't you afraid the creatures might return?¨ But Sophie's companion shook her head ¨Yeah I guess if nobody got hurt it means those protectors are doing their job properly¨

¨Hey how about we just get out of the classroom? You could use some directions if you ever need to get to the bathroom or something¨

¨Yeah… yeah let's go¨ And the two girls left the room, they had little time before the recess was over so it was better to speed things up.

* * *

¨I still can't believe the amount of Yordles in this place¨ Reginald said with amazement.

He and Ezreal were on the courtyard and stayed near a tree, from there they could see a lot of the students, some of them grouping up. While the new guy was still looking around Ezreal had his eyes fixated on the different people that were walking around, he stopped after seeing a somewhat large crowd around some athletic students. They were using the sports uniform which consisted of sweat pants and jackets along with running shoes, however underneath the jacket they had a basketball jersey with different numbers.

¨See those people over there?¨ The blond pointed ¨They are the basketball team from the academy. Won the trophy on the national school league and everyone just praises them as gods¨

¨What? You hate them?¨ Ren asked, seeing as how Ezreal wasn't too pleased to talk about the sports team.

¨Not all of them, there are a few who are kind of good people you know? But there's that guy with the ball¨ They both looked at said person ¨He's quite an ass¨ Just by looking at him the new student knew why his classmate didn't like him. A lot of girls were talking to him and he seemed not to care about any, he liked however that he was treated as a king since he was the captain of the team and thanks to his tactics he lead the academy to the victory. Unlike the rest he was more muscular and liked to show that he had the power and strength for everything, at his side there was another man who was cheering for him, their faces were similar so Ren understood that they were brothers ¨That's Darius and his brother Draven, one gets the people thanks to his plays while the other just sucks his brother's glory to boost his ego¨

¨How do new people enter into the basketball team?¨ Reginald leaned by the tree, he portrayed the people from the team as bullies, especially the brothers who didn't seem to friendly.

¨Well you can apply but you have to be a god at it or just be in good terms with someone from the team, the closer it is to captain the better¨

¨What about that guy?¨ Ren pointed at the bulky man with brown hair, unlike Darius, this man was signing some autographs as if he was some kind of celebrity.

¨That's Garen, the second in command when the captain is not on the training or when they need to switch¨ Ezreal noticed a specific student close to the latest guy he mentioned; the golden locks and blue eyes from her just made the student sigh of relief.

The new kid noticed this and he just let out a small chuckle ¨Sorry if I'm mistaken, but that sound you made… are you interested in her? I mean… despite being that guy Garen's girlfriend¨

The blond woke up from his trance and quickly eyed his classmate ¨Gir-girlfriend?! That's Lux, Garen's sister!¨ He immediately answered, turning to Reginald ¨If you are looking for his girlfriend, take a look at the redhead who is coming over there¨ He pointed with his head at the upcoming girl who was about to enter into the circle.

Most of the boys' eyes were directed at the woman who walked towards the second in command, before directing some words at her couple she just shoved Lux away from there. Most of the other girls were jealous at this relationship since many of them decided to go for Darius and Draven. With an angry look the younger sibling left that `circle´ and walked in the direction of the two students that were looking the situation from far away; after getting closer enough Lux just smiled at the golden haired boy.

¨Hey Ez¨ She turned her head towards Reginald ¨You… I don't know you, are you new here?¨

¨Yeah, he… uh… he just joined today¨ It was weird, before she came Ezreal was talking normally, even confident but now that she was here he seemed lost, even nervous ¨His name is Reginald¨

¨Just Ren¨ He extended his hand and shook them with Lux ¨So… you are the sister from that basketball player¨

¨Garen, yes, you want an autograph from him¨ But the new kid just said no with his head ¨Say Ez…¨ The blond looked at the girl with curiosity ¨Why don't you give him a tour around the academy?¨

¨I… I did it already, I was just showing some of the groups around here, we just stumbled on the basketball team and… why don't you help me? I'll probably won't make any mistakes if you are around¨ Ezreal smiled and hoped for a positive answer from the girl.

¨Yeah why not? I'm always glad to help new stud-¨ Lux got interrupted when she felt something, it was her phone and after pulling it out from one of the inside pockets from the jacket she saw the screen, the smile disappeared ¨Uh… I'm sorry I can't, the literature club needs me¨

¨Already?! It's the first day! I'm sure no other club is open yet¨

¨No, but the girls want to have everything ready for tomorrow¨

¨You do know no one joins your club? I mean, you are a small group!¨ Reginald was looking this conversation between the two golden haired students, not following part of the `plot´ behind it, except that Ezreal wanted Lux to stay a bit more.

¨It's a new year; we can't just close the club! Imagine if someone wants to join¨ Lux shook her head and chuckled ¨Well no time to waste, goodbye guys!¨ She waved to the two of them and left.

With nothing else to do Ezreal sighed and saw the girl go ¨Fine…¨ He turned his head at the brown haired boy ¨Let's go we don't have much time before recess is-¨ The bell rang and everyone started to return to their classrooms ¨I'll just do it later then…¨

* * *

The two girls ended up at the library when they heard the bell ¨Well… guess we'll continue the tour later¨ Taliyah muttered and before they left the place someone stood in their path. It was a blonde and tall woman holding a couple of books, just like Sophie she was wearing the same attire, with jacket included ¨Oh, sorry Janna¨

¨Is that a new girl?¨ The woman asked, looking at the student with her crystal blue eyes ¨Never seen you before¨

¨Y-yeah, I'm Sophie, joined today¨ The raven haired girl tried to shake hands but the books in the woman's arms made any kind of movement impossible.

¨Well then Sophie welcome to the academy, make sure to stop by this place if you need books, magazines or even a computer to access internet. Oh, don't forget to get the library card!¨

With the conversation done Sophie and Taliyah tried once again to leave the place but now it was Lux along with two other Yordles, one of them with white hair and the other one with purple locks. ¨Jannawecamehereassoonaspossible¨ The young sibling said, her fast breathing along with leaning on the wall ¨Hey Taliyah¨

¨Hey Lux… try not to… die on the first day ok?¨ The tanned girl joked and the blonde nodded, still tired as the Yordles just walked inside of the library without even say hi to neither Sophie or Taliyah ¨Come on, I want to find out who our teacher will be!¨ And they parted to their classroom, hoping not to get too late.

* * *

 **And we get to meet some groups at the academy as well as some people. Yes this place has many clubs and some wlll appear in the next chapter with some of its members, but the club day may become more interesting as time goes on. What do I mean with this? Heh, you'll see soon enough.**

 **Thanks to everyone who is reading as well as following/fav-ing the story whether you are a new reader to my stories or an old one.**

 **Not many things to say here but to remind everyone that you can join the FanFiction discord server at Discord dot gg / UpMHen3**

 **With that I bid farewell until next week and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

The rest of the day was pretty dull for the two kids, mostly introductions and what was going to be in each class, nothing special, they did however managed to find a friendly someone. Both Ezreal and Taliyah helped the newcomers to get used to their first day.

Sophie was still struggling to keep sane with Jinx being a problem and even tried to accuse her to the professors but her new friend held her before she could do anything.

Reginald on the other had was informed about the creatures that appeared the years before he joined as well as the existence of the Star Guardians. He was also intrigued about it but the blond boy was clueless on who any of the girls were and browsed the blog for any new information.

There was nothing to do, no homework and just a regular day for them, the transition from vacations to academy-life would take at least a week but if their professors decided to start giving them loads of work then that transition would take just a couple of days.

As the first day at the academy ended the second one came and with a surprise. On the second period everyone was told to go to the courtyard and choose at least one club to participate in. Despite how boring and dull that idea may seem, the entire place was full with students and most of them already occupying the stands.

-So…-

-So…?- Taliyah asked, walking around and inspecting the club's stands ¨Found anything that you like yet?¨

¨Mh…¨ Sophie thought to herself ¨Archery, photography, Sh-Shakespeare club?¨ The girl wondered on this last one, looking at her newest friend.

¨That's a thetre club hosted by the professor Jhin, he did a play last year, something called `The Beauty of Killing´ kinda lame¨ The tanned girl answered, hiding her hands on the pockets of the jacket ¨How about… Ancient History club?¨

¨No thanks, I think I'll have enough history with yesterday's class¨ The two girls laughed and saw a stand near a tree, as they got closer they both noticed the blonde girl they saw on the library the day before, along with her was a white-haired Yordle, both of them were looking for any possible student who might want to join the Literature Club.

¨Hey Lux, Poppy¨ Taliyah greeted the two girls behind the stand ¨Remember Sophie? You saw her at the library yesterday¨

¨I do remember, sadly someone was pulling us for important talk about the club¨ The Yordle said, looking at the pamphlets that had information about their stand ¨So… interested in joining the Literature Club?¨

¨No…¨ Answered the raven haired ¨I'm still undecided on what to choose, plus I'm following Taliyah all around, still getting a bit lost with this many people¨

¨Yeah, but I was just strolling here just to see if you recruited someone¨ But the two girls from the club shook their heads ¨Well that's… sad and-¨ The student turned her head to the left and then everyone proceeded to do the same ¨Oh no here she comes…¨

Just like the girls were pursuing the people from the Basketball team, the boys were following (according to them) the most beautiful female student in the academy. Being the number one know-it-all when it comes to gossips as well as the informant on all the new info related to the Star Guardians. Coming from a wealthy family she is one of the leading cheerleaders at the academy team and considers herself as the queen of the place. Her vibrant pink hair and a tie with the same color she walked around, talking to her phone and taking pictures whenever she had the chance for a good shot.

¨Who's that?¨ Sophie asked, all of the three girls turned to the new student.

¨The girl who `rules´ the academy, Ahri¨ Poppy sighed, annoyed since she knew what was going to happen.

¨Well look at this!¨ The girl with pink hair (dyed probably) said with some sarcasm in her tone ¨More members into the Literature Club?¨

¨Go away Ahri, you're not helping our new members¨ Lux responded, the fact that the popular student brought a lot of people didn't meant any of them would join the club, they would probably laugh at them.

¨Um… we just came here to see how you were doing¨ Taliyah quickly said ¨We had no plans to join the club¨

¨Wait what?!¨ The blonde raised her tone as well as standing from her chair.

Ahri laughed as she got closer to Sophie as if she was about to whisper something to the new student ¨You seem like a stranger to this place, listen to my advice…¨ The popular girl put her arm around the raven haired's neck ¨Don't stick around this people, go for someone different, like me, or the basketball team¨

¨Yeah… no¨ Sophie removed the arm around her and stepped back ¨I'm sorry but I'm not interested¨

¨Mh¨ The student turned ¨If you ever have any information about the Star Guardians try to find me, also don't forget to enter into my blog!¨ With another sarcastic tone the pink haired left, making the four girls comfortable after her and all of the boys following her left.

¨I guess we should all look for other clubs or something¨ The tanned student said ¨So uh… good luck¨

¨Yeah… recommend us too some other students¨ Lux finished the conversation waving as booth Taliyah and Sophie left to search other stands.

* * *

¨No¨

¨Pussy¨

¨Just because I don't want to doesn't mean I'm a pussy!¨

¨Pussy¨

¨This is stupid…¨

Ren was looking at this conversation between Ezreal and the president of the boxing club, Vi. This student was taller than the two boys and had a short pink hair with a little shave on one of the sides, she also wore the classic white shirt with a red plain tie but instead of a skirt she wore the same stripped pants that the male students use. The discussion between this two `friends´ was that the Vi wanted Ezreal to join the boxing club, however the latter was not happy about the idea. Reginald on the other hand was silent, his eyes going left and right.

¨It wouldn't be stupid if you said yes¨ Vi was holding a notepad with a lot of names written on them ¨Besides you know that girls love muscular men who would fight for them¨

¨That's a lie, that only applies to you, and even that you are like a man!¨ Ezreal was frowning and almost talking angrily at Vi.

¨Maybe, but I do know of another girl who like muscular people¨ The pink haired grinned and turned her head to face Reginald ¨How about you? Do you fancy any girl? You won't get too far if you don't have any muscles and by the looks of it…¨ Vi tapped one of Ren's arms with the notepad ¨…they are quite poor¨

¨Uh… I'm sorry, I'm not into that kind of stuff¨ The student waved his hands as he shook his head.

¨I knew it!¨ Vi immediately said and threw the notepad to the stand, she didn't care if the list got lost ¨Blondie right here is convincing all of the new students not to participate into a rough club. But you know what? That's ok, when those monsters attack us you will be crying over your sorry asses, wishing that you knew how to fight them¨

¨We have the Star Guardians, they did a pretty good job this past years so I won't be worried about it¨ Ezreal crossed his arms ¨Changing subjects, how is Cait doing with her club?¨

¨Cait?¨ The new student turned his head to Ezreal, despite getting an explanation of some of the people and groups at the academy he was still a rookie to a lot of things.

¨She is Vi's classmate, one year ahead of us, the head of the hall monitors as well as the president of the chess club. Best of the best¨

¨And if you two pricks say anything about her you will know what it feels to be against me on the boxing club¨ The pink haired leaned forward, whispering this last words before pushing the students away and greeting new ones.

The two classmates kept walking around, looking for a different club until they saw something in the distance. The popular student was talking to the girls from the literature club as well as an unknown person and Sophie. They observed everything and how Ahri didn't seem too pleased when she left that place.

¨I'm wondering, if you are interested in Lux, why not join her club?¨ Reginald asked, seeing that Ahri was now mocking at another group of girls from another stand.

¨How would you think she will react if she finds about what I think? I will be a weirdo or some stalker and I will be branded by everyone in the academy until I graduate¨ The blond shook his head ¨I'd rather play safe, besides, it's literature club. Nobody joins there except for a few girls¨

¨And… are they actually worth it?¨ The new kid asked, being eyed by his companion ¨Come on man, you can't judge me¨

¨Eh, you're right¨ He sighed ¨Maybe Janna… she's the president and one year ahead of us, but I do believe she has a boyfriend or something¨ Ezreal looked at Reginald from head to toe ¨And I believe you wouldn't have a chance¨ The boy laughed and the two of them kept walking, only to be interrupted by something.

What seemed to be a regular day ended up with something unexpected, at least for the new students. A few screams and a lot of fingers pointing at the sky caught the attention of a flying monster. The creature had two tentacles at the side and one on the back, the dark blue body along with few details in green just like the enormous eye on the front. Truly a terrifying sight, especially for both Reginald and Sophie who were experiencing their first attack from one of the monsters, this also meant something else: The Star Guardians will show up to stop this entity.

But so far nothing, the creature was floating over the courtyard and looked all of the students who were running away; some others were hiding under the tables. Reginald was already dragged by Ezreal while Sophie by Taliyah, they were hiding behind the walls and pillars together, looking at how the creature was still hovering a few meters from the ground. Everyone remained silent, trying to hide from the tentacle creature but only a couple of students started to notice that someone was still in the open, it was the pink haired student with her phone up and taking pictures at the threat.

¨What is she doing?!¨ Sophie asked, her heart beating ¨She's going to get herself killed!¨

¨That's not the first time she's done something that dangerous¨ Ezreal commented, worried about the popular student. They weren't in good terms but it would be sad to see someone die in this situation.

The flying creature channeled the energy in its eye and the green orb glowed, it wouldn't take long before Ahri gets vaporized but the monster got distracted by something else. The thing flinched at a shield that was thrown at the eye; the student turned and found herself with her true objective, the Star Guardians, or at least two of them. They were featured in the girl's blog, the one with pink hair and a Yordle with big blue ponytails and a hammer.

¨Are those…?¨ Ren said, surprised at the sudden appearance of the protectors.

¨The Star Guardians, well, not all of them at least¨ Taliyah muttered, still wondering why Ahri was taking pictures at the two girls who warned her to leave the courtyard. Everyone cheered when the defenders of the academy appeared but had to shut their voices since the tentacle creature turned to see where those loud noises came from.

The battle started and the two guardians tried to lure the monster away from the other students, especially Ahri who was still in the danger zone. The mage with the baton used her spells to trap the entity as well as shield her companion who was trying to deal as much damage as possible onto the main eye, however the tentacles were shoving the Yordle away.

¨Ahri come on get here¨ Sophie whispered, trying to get the student's attention so she could go to safety but she was still taking pictures, not caring about the possible danger she could be in. The raven haired sighed and quickly ran to where the popular girl was, dragging her by the arm ¨Come on you don't want to get yourself killed over a stupid blog¨

But Ahri removed Sophie's arm and looked at her as if she was pissed ¨Stupid blog?! That thing is getting a copious amount of visits and it gives _me_ revenue for each person that sees those things. If I want to fill my pockets with cash then I have to be close to danger¨

¨So you value some money over your life?!¨ The new girl raised her tone, it was stupid the idea Ahri had in her mind.

¨You can't buy a new pair of shoes with tears and prayers¨ The pink haired retorted with a grin on her face.

¨SOPHIE!¨ Reginald shouted atop of his lungs, they weren't paying attention but the monster was actually focusing on the two girls who were having a discussion.

It took just a few seconds for the creature to launch a ball of energy from its eye and it went directly for both Ahri and Sophie. The latter had to think fast as she pushed the popular student away, however that gave her no option to escape, it was her demise and she tried to cover herself as well as close her eyes. This was going to be messy.

* * *

 **Now that the Star Guardians are released I proceed to update this story. So many clubs and yet a weird Vel'Koz appears out of nowhere to attack the academy. It was nice that the protectors appeared, although not too good for Sophie since she is about to get destroyed.**

 **Talking about destroyed, holy, the new Invasion mode is so nice and hard (especially on that difficulty), too bad the only rewards are a ward or a Champ shard, considering I have all of them I would go for the ward, despite being ugly.**

 **Back to the story some things that I want to mention: The world's population is comprised of humans and Yordles, most of the Champs that are creatures or weird stuff are humans and look like that. No, Ahri doesn't have fox ears or tails; no, Anivia is a human and not a bird. The only exceptions are the monsters that appear and the wildlife.**

 **Also, Ahri isn't a Star Guardian, I know all the new SG collection and that but she is not a guardian... yet :)**

 **Thanks to everyone who's been reading the story as well as following and faving (is that a word) hope you enjoy the chapters as I post them!**

 **And with that I bid farewell, might get some RP to buy a skin but still unsure of which one. Also, to those who play on NA I made an account oon that server after many years, you can find me as my username here on FF: Tourvelix**

 **Not many more things to say here but to remind everyone that you can join the FanFiction discord server at Discord dot gg / UpMHen3**

 **And now yes, I say goodbye with my outro:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

Sophie opened her eyes, she was nowhere, floating in the middle of the space but there were no planets but starts all around her. Despite everything being dark the black haired could still see her body as if she was generating light.

¨What is this place?¨ Her voice echoed, but there was not a single person to hear it. The girl tried to swim in the nothingness of that space, but it was impossible to move because whenever Sophie tried to do something she spun around.

The student felt a strange force pushing her to the front, the stars moving incredibly fast until she saw something weird. There was a temple, made of stone and with an unusual glow. The force that kept her moving made Sophie land on a platform that had a staircase on the front that led to another floor. It was strange but the only possible way to go so the girl had to follow her instinct and move up.

Once on the next floor she saw the same, another platform but with something in particular on the in the middle of it: A table with two chairs, and only one of them was occupied.

¨What the…¨ The student whispered and stood there, waiting that the person by the table to talk or do something.

¨Do not be afraid Sophie¨ A shiver was sent down her spine after hearing her name. The female voice was soothing despite all of her surroundings being a complete mystery for her ¨Please have a sit, I am sure you would be happy if you received a few answers¨

There was nothing else to do, she followed the woman's orders and got closer to sit on the empty chair. It was a strange sight, a woman with purple skin, golden eyes and a horn on her forehead. Her hair and dress were long as they touched the ground and shared the same white-silverish color. In front of her were two teacups and a teapot, quite weird to have this drink on the middle of nowhere.

¨I… I don't understand¨

¨Let us start from the beginning then¨ The strange woman grabbed the teapot and poured the dark liquid into both teacups; before Sophie asked for sugar a small box appeared which this new person opened and grabbed a pair of white cubes, dropping them onto her cup ¨I am an entity, something that you can see from your world when looking at the night, known in many cultures by different names but the one that you should call me is First Star¨

¨First Star? Like… the sun?¨ The student grabbed a cube of sugar and threw it into her cup, still unable to understand anything at all.

¨Yes, but I was born when the first light appeared in existence¨ The First Star took a sip from her tea ¨I've been following you Sophie, when you joined the academy you seemed like a normal girl, but there was something in you that makes you different: Determination, hope, and even the will to save others from danger, even if that means risking your own life¨

The sable haired girl knew what the woman meant, she saved Ahri from a possible death and in exchange she died, or so it seemed since this place didn't look like heaven or anything similar ¨I mean… I can understand that last part, but the others… you sure you got the right girl? I mean, it's my second day there¨

¨I am far from being mistaken Sophie. But to clear any doubt, you are not dead. Luck was in your favor and you were saved, while we are here your body is still working as usual¨

¨That's… reassuring¨ The tone in the student's voice wasn't too enthusiastic ¨So… next question: Why am I here?¨

¨Many things, one of them to explain you the dire situation the universe is in and how you can avoid the destruction of every light in existence¨ Sophie slowly nodded her head, this conversation was going to be interesting, real or not ¨When the first light in the universe was created so was the darkness, two complete opposites that have to be kept in balance. The darkness always seeks to consume the stars and destroy all the light that has ever existed, that is why the true embodiment of darkness or Dark Star uses minions to fulfill his objective¨

¨So this is a light versus darkness scenario, correct?¨ The horned woman nodded ¨So I take I can save the universe… how?¨

¨By becoming a protector of the light¨ The First Star moved her hand in the air and an ethereal figure made of constellations appeared, standing on her palm. It was a woman with a sword and a shield, in her chest a small star but instead of being white it was golden ¨Just how the Dark Star has minions following its orders, I also have some people who can stop the darkness from taking over, they are known as the Star Guardians¨

¨Star Guardians?! So… the girls I saw at the academy are-¨

¨Indeed, people who fight in the name of the First Star¨ The woman nodded and closed her hand, making the figure disappear ¨That is how you will save the universe, become part of this team of Star Guardians and vanquish the forces of darkness so balance can return¨

¨But… I don't have any superpowers like those girls at the academy! You better find someone who can do a better job at this¨ She was about to stand up but the woman held her hand, stopping her before leaving the table. Her touch was different than expected, a sensation hard to describe but it gave her hope, happiness, the complete opposite of the empty void that was surrounding them.

¨I chose you because I know you can help with this battle. It is a duty that no one else will be able to do but those that have the will for it¨ The First Star's hand broke contact with Sophie's and looked at her in the eyes ¨No person starts knowing everything, you will train and become a proper Star Guardian, there is a team behind you who will help you know your true potential. There are many questions that are still in your mind, but those will be answered by your fellow guardians and your familiar¨

¨Familiar? Y-you mean… an animal or something?¨ The student knew people like witches had companions and that thing only happened in those tales or the animes she used to watch. For a moment she felt happy, this kind of things would never happen due to their imaginary nature but considering she saw a flying creature attack the academy, the Star Guardians and also this strange place, Sophie began to understand everything was real ¨But I don't have a pet…¨

¨Then you will probably be in for a surprise¨ The First Star said and smiled ¨You know everything you need for now, your companions will inform you better of everything else. I count on you, and so will the rest of the Star Guardians¨

Slowly everything started to disappear, the table, chairs, the First Star even the platform she was in. Unlike last time she wasn't floating, instead gravity was pulling the girl towards Earth, she felt tired and felt the need to close her eyes to sleep.

…

From behind the pillar Reginald saw that Sophie had a protective shield around her, given by the pink-haired Star Guardian. Despite not getting killed the impact from the projectile she got pushed to the pillar to which Taliyah, Ezreal and Ren dragged her back to safety.

¨You ok?¨ The student asked but Sophie was still shocked ¨Soph!¨ The raven haired girl immediately nodded her head, without saying anything else ¨What were you thinking when you went out there!?¨

¨Give her a break, she was about to die, don't expect-¨

Taliyah got interrupted when they all saw Ahri scream as she ran away for cover. After that `demonstration of valor´ everyone's eyes turned to the battle. The two Star Guardians used their abilities to stop the flying creature from doing any more harm, at first it tried to escape but a combined effort from those two girls the monster was defeated and disappeared, turning into dust.

All of the students came out of their hiding places and cheered their defenders, who after a smile and a waving of their hands they left. Some tried to follow them while the others were just going to check on their fellow students who might be injured after this battle. However the words `fellow students´ meant that everyone would check if Ahri was ok; no one but Taliyah, Ezreal and Reginald pulled Sophie out of there, giving her some space to breath and recover from what happened before.

 _¨Attention all students, considering the events that happened recently, today's classes will be dismissed. Everyone must return to their homes, as for the teachers come to the auditorium for a talk¨_ The voice of the principal was heard all of the academy through the speakers, a lot of students cheered considering that they would have the rest of the day off, despite everyone being a participant in this terrifying situation.

Once outside, this group of four students looked at the horde of fellow members of the academy leaving. They were focused on Sophie who hasn't spoken a single word ever since she got attacked.

¨You think she'll be fine?¨ Ezreal asked as his blue eyes turned to both Taliyah and Reginald.

¨I guess…¨ The brown haired answered, crossing his arms and looking back to his friend ¨Must've been horrible being in that situation¨

¨Almost being killed…¨ The tanned girl sighed ¨This is your first experience of a monster attack¨

¨Yeah… let's hope this doesn't repeat once again¨ Ren tapped Sophie´s shoulder ¨Come on, I'll take you home, let's try not to mention this to our parents ok?¨ Once again the sable haired girl nodded, still silent after all this time.

* * *

 _(Later that day, around 7pm)_

Lux was sitting on the swing, going back and forth and looking at the darkened sky. She looked at the phone, it was quite late and staying any longer would make her family worry. After the day at the academy she was wearing a long sleeved blue shirt and a skirt sharing the similar color along with a pair of black knee socks.

Before she could notice the blonde from the library appeared along with Lulu and Poppy, but there was still a person missing.

¨Where is Jinx?¨ Lux asked, standing from the swing just so Lulu and her pet could sit.

¨She said she was coming¨ Poppy answered, sitting on the other swing at the side of Lulu ¨So why keep the secret? Couldn't you tell us on the phone?¨

¨I'm a bit worried, what happened today at the academy… the monster I feel as if somebody is watching us¨

¨You two handled it pretty well without our help¨ Janna spoke up, looking at the sky ¨Maybe it is a sign that the darkness is making a move once again?¨

¨Pix thinks those creatures will attack again¨ Lulu mentioned her pet, now sitting on top of her head, an unknown furry animal with wings and a star on the forehead, if it weren't for the fact that it was moving it could easily be mistaken by a plush toy.

¨I still think about the theory that you had Lux. Maybe someone knows the true identities of the Star Guardians, we might be in danger¨Poppy looked down but she was frowning, still thinking about what happened this day.

¨If they knew then our families and friends would've been attacked already. What happened today was a taunt and also to test the waters¨ The girl from third year commented as she let Zephyr land on her shoulder.

¨Test the waters? How so?¨ The blonde student asked, raising one of her golden brows

¨If the Star Guardians aren't there when there is an attack, it means that either they were destroyed or dismissed by the First Star. Considering we are still here then the Dark Star knows it has to reinforce its monsters¨

During this conversation the cyan haired rebel came into scene, with two flying creatures around her, one of them was black while the other one white ¨So what did I miss my fellow companions?¨

¨Nothing really¨ Lux turned to the newcomer and then to the rest of the group ¨Well, now that we are all here I can properly discuss this: I felt something weird, a calling to this place at this time. I know you answered my call when I told you I had these… strange feelings¨

¨Maybe a new discovery?¨ Poppy asked ¨Maybe we'll hear from the First Star. Aside from the first time¨

¨Our someone that will help us…¨ Janna muttered and everyone looked at her just to notice the blue crystal eyes from the girl on third grade were aiming directly at the sky.

The rest did the same and looked at something in particular. The dark sky was lit when a falling star appeared, it had a green glow and it was going directly to the outskirts of Valoran City. From there they were able to see a person as the star was getting closer to the ground. None seemed to recognize the person except for the rebel who jumped on top of the leader's shoulders just to have a better look.

¨Wait a second! I know that girl¨ Everyone turned their eyes to Jinx ¨She sits on the desk to my right… I can't believe it!¨ She laughed and jumped off Lux's shoulder, making the blonde almost fall ¨Why did the First Star choose someone like that prick?¨

¨The First Star is always right, if she was chosen then it must be important¨ The leader massaged her shoulders ¨You know what to do, tell her to come to us. We will have to prepare ourselves for a barrage of questions probably¨ She sighed ¨Well, time to go, my parents are probably telling my brother to find me¨

As everyone left only Jinx was the last member there, she grabbed both of the flying pets and hugged them ¨Shiro, Kuro, don't be afraid, we will have a new friend to make fun of. This will be a _nice_ year for the Star Guardians!¨ With that said the student walked away from the park, still hugging her familiars as a maniac grin appeared on her face.

* * *

 **And that's how it's solved.**

 **I always had the idea that Soraka was the First Star, then when Riot announced that she would become a SG my idea just... well crumbled, BUT NOT FOR LONG! You see, Soraka is still the First Star and now Sophie takes Soraka's place as a SG, which means that if Ahri's team appears they would only have 4 people. Ah but don't worry, I have a nice idea for it.**

 **Also bear in mind that this story is one year before the new Star Guardians, so this means that most of the characters are in second year, while Janna and Lulu are in third and first respectively.**

 **Next chapter will be interesting since Sophie will have to deal with a strange visitor as well as meeting her new comrades.**

 **But I don't want to spoil too much, I like how this story is going, but need to take my time to write everything, until then I bid farewell, but before I go I want to remind everyone of the Discord server that we have on Fanfiction, join us at** **Discord dot gg / UpMHen3**

 **With that being said I leave with these words:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

After such a strange dream Sophie woke up, the alarm was drilling her brain and after many attempts to turning if off she decided to disconnect it and lay down on the bed again.

¨What are you doing? Get up from the bed!¨ A tiny voice `shouted´ at the girl, but despite being an unknown one to the student, she still kept laid on the bed.

¨Mhhh no, five more minutes¨ Her sleepy voice only made the visitor even more angry.

After jumping on top of the bed the creature tried to push Sophie out but instead it got kicked out of it ¨Hey, wake up! You have duties as a Star Guardian now!¨ Once again the tiny stranger went to the bed, only this time it flew instead of walking.

¨I don't want to be a… wait… Star Guardian?¨ The raven haired opened her eyes and noticed what the visitor said and rose up just for her eyes to meet what was calling her.

It really was something small, close to 20 centimeters and with a lot of fur; it wasn't a human but if she had to choose the creature resembled to a lion, but cute and with a long tail with furry ball on the end. Unlike the lions, this thing had pointy ears just as big as its head, a small nose and mouth along with a pair of blue-greenish eyes that resembled to a crystal due to the fact that Sophie was able to see herself from the reflection. The fur was mostly white except for the head which had light-green on the tips and a yellow belly.

¨Oh… my… you are so… so…¨

¨Important to you? I should be, it is my duty to-¨

¨CUTE!¨ The girl immediately hugged the visitor, but this one tried to escape. Despite its initial efforts the creature used one of its abilities to disappear and reappear away from the student's grasp ¨What?¨

¨How about you focus on the important part, your duty as a Star Guardian?¨ Soph tilted her head, she wasn't understanding what was this duty or who this creature was. With a sigh and a look of disappointment, the small lion shook its head ¨You don't understand anything, do you?¨ The student said no with her head ¨Well let's get to the basics: The First Star chose you for a reason, your duty is to fight against the armies of darkness created by the Dark Star. Along with your fellow guardians, there is also a familiar who will guide you and help develop your powers¨

¨My powers?¨ She looked at her hands and then to the rest of her body. There was nothing odd in her skin or clothes, just the pajamas she uses at home ¨So you are my pet…¨

¨I'M A FAMILIAR, NOT YOUR PET. TREAT ME PROP-¨ The lion got silent after Sophie started to pat the creature's head, making it go calm and purr ¨Mhhhh. STOP IT!¨ The tiny voice just made the sable haired girl laugh ¨My name is Shisa, and I will be your protector and guide¨

¨Shisha¨

¨Shisa¨

¨Shi…tsa?¨

¨SHISA! HOW DID THE STAR GUARDIAN CHOOSE A GIRL LIKE-¨ Once again the familiar was silenced by the petting from the student.

The two of them got startled after they heard someone knocking on the bedroom's door, Sophie hid Shisa under the blanket, if anybody saw that weird-talking creature there would be no doubt they would freak out _¨Soph, wake up, breakfast is here, plus you got a visitor¨_

¨Visitor? Let's hope they don't know about the Star Guardians…¨ The girl stood up from the bed and headed to the wardrobe, she needed to get ready for a new day at the academy.

…

As soon as she got downstairs the student found out Taliyah was the visitor, before she could say hi Soph's mother already prepared lunch and gave her daughter two bags, one of them with the word `Lunch´ on it ¨I hope you have a lot of things to talk because you will have to go now¨ Before the black haired girl could even say anything her mother pointed at the clock, it was late already and if they wanted to go to the academy on foot they would have to start moving now.

After saying goodbye to the student's mother, the two friends were already on the move. They remained silent the first part but Taliyah did noticed that her companion changed from what happened yesterday, she was actually talking and smiling, quite different from the day of the monster attack.

¨You haven't checked on Ahri's blog, haven't you?¨ The student shook her head and made Taliyah take her phone. She pressed her fingers against the screen a few times and the dark red colors from the blog's background shined against the tanned girl's face ¨Here¨ She gave the phone to Sophie who started browsing all the new info.

It was clear that after yesterday's attack there would be a lot of new content, mostly pictures which were showing the flying monster, the most peculiar thing was that the ones that showed the Star Guardians were different; Sophie remembered Ahri took some pictures to the guardians' faces but all of them had something, either they were blurry or something was in the middle, blocking the girls' faces. It was strange that after seeing the Star Guardians face to face (probably not the first time she had the chance) she hasn't noticed who they were, maybe students from the academy due to their fast response.

¨She won't stop until she finds out who the Star Guardians are, I suppose¨ Sophie muttered, after saying that name she felt something tugging on her backpack along with all the rest of the stuff inside.

¨And that's not the only thing there, look at the post after the pictures¨ Taliyah scrolled the screen to the next part, it was a small text ¨Ahri hates you after what you did yesterday¨

Miller was reading that post and it was true, Ahri really had a grudge on her and lied about how that attempt was risking the photographer's life since the guardians defeated the monster and left, forcing the owner of the blog to leave without any more pictures.

¨That's… that's all a lie! I saved her!¨ Sophie looked back at Taliyah and gave her back the phone ¨She's twisting the reality so I am just as bad as that monster that attacked yesterday¨

¨Well she has the power, in a way, being the most popular girl on the school means that she can decide where the water flows and that¨

¨At least it's just a stupid blog about Star Guardians…¨

¨ _Hey!_ ¨ Shisa's voice came from inside of the backpack but Sophie just gave a small hit to it with her elbow.

¨Stupid or not, a lot of people read it so if anything happens… just try not to lose your head, you know what you did was the right thing. Me, Ezreal and your friend know that´

¨Thanks Taliyah¨ With a smile the two girls kept talking as they were getting close to the academy¨

* * *

The rest of the day at school was painful for Sophie; she heard whispers all around about how she ruined Ahri's chance with the Star Guardians, she became some sort of enemy number one in the academy and that was something she didn't wanted. Having only a couple of friends there helped a bit and considering she was being `bullied´ by Jinx, she was already wishing to disappear from there and go to another place.

All periods went by on a slow-moving day; she tried to stay on the classroom most of the time but even there she got some words from a few students, especially since Ahri walking nearby and wanted to avoid the pink haired at all costs.

After allowing Shisa to come out of the back pack she hid it under the desk so no one would be able to see the familiar, from there the student just had to whispers, not only for anybody to hear their conversation but also so nobody would think she is crazy.

¨Everyone hates me for doing something good, what kind of world is this?!¨ She wanted to scream but that would generate even more suspicion.

 _¨Don't guide yourself over what others say about you, that's going to affect how you do things and in the end it will affect your judgment when facing an important choice¨_ Shisa's muffled voice was low enough that even Sophie had a hard time listening to it _¨Now you should find your fellow guardians, the First Star wouldn't send us here alone¨_

¨They appeared yesterday on the courtyard, but that was because the monster attacked it. We would need to wait for another of them to appear if we want to follow or do-¨ Sophie got interrupted when someone tossed a ball of paper at her head ¨Hey!¨ She looked up and saw that the culprit ran away from the classroom. The student's instinct told her that she had to follow that person but as soon as she left there was no sign of him or her ¨Mh… stupid¨ The black haired whispered and returned to her seat, just to find something on top of it that had her surname written on it.

Sophie looked everywhere, but Taliyah wasn't in the classroom and there wasn't anybody on the desk in front of her, the only person who could've dropped the note was the rebel on the left but she didn't seem to care on anything but to leave markings on her table.

¨Shisa, you saw someone leaving a note on the desk?¨

 _¨You think I can see through stuff?¨_ But there was silence as the student was opening the note _¨I'll take that as a no… now the important stuff, what does it say? A secret message? A code? Maybe we've been compromised!¨_

¨It says…¨ Just by giving a quick look she noticed it was poorly written, many grammatical mistakes as well as some drawings, also poorly made ¨Whoever wrote this doesn't know proper english¨

 **We know who u R**

 **Meet at** (The word literature was crossed many times until the right abbreviation was made) **Lit. Klub. Room 206 after school. GO ALONE. NO TELL ANY1. Answers and questions there.**

 _¨What is that supposed to mean?¨_

¨Someone knows something about me… and probably about you too. Smells fishy but I need to investigate it¨ The student looked at the classroom's clock, just two more periods and she will be free.

* * *

Classes have ended and it was now time to further investigate the note, she headed to the second floor of the east wing and found the classrooms that went from 200 to 230, just a few steps and she would get to the door that led to so many answers, or in the worst case scenario, even more questions.

¨204…205…206¨ The sable haired girl stood in front of the door with the number at the side of it; there was nobody else in that corridor so if something happened she wouldn't have any support.

From inside of the backpack Shisa came out and started to float at the side of her guardian ¨This isn't right… what if it's a trap? The Dark Star could be watching us and that note was just something that could lead to our demise!¨

¨There's only one way to find out…¨ She muttered and turned the doorknob and entered into the dark room while her familiar just hid inside of the backpack once again. Just as she saw from the outside, the classroom was pitch black, all curtains were closed and the lights were off ¨Uhm… hello?¨

¨Close the door¨ A female voice came from the darkness itself and Sophie did nothing but obey ¨Now… turn on the lights¨

Her hands started to shake, it was a trap but she couldn't run away, what if it wasn't? She could get so many answers but at what cost?. Her fingers touched the switch and flipped it, turning the lights of all the classroom.

¨SURPRISE!¨ The four girls inside said at the same time and blew their festive whistles as well as throwing some confetti at the stunned Sophie.

¨W-what is this?!¨ She raised her tone, in her mind anything was possible, from nothing to an encounter with the infamous Dark Star; however a surprise party was the last of the things that were in her list¨I know all of you…¨ The sable haired girl noticed Lux, Poppy and Janna, the purple haired girl was still a kinda new to her, especially since they haven't talked yet ¨Well… most of you¨

¨Glad to see you received the message and decided to follow it¨ Lux started talking, moving forward and extending her hand ¨We don't have to be strangers to each other, we are like you, we are Star Guardians¨

¨The four of you? But… you don't look like them, at all!¨ Sophie remember how all of the guardians used sailor-type outfits, but it was impossible to picture the girls in front of her since they were using the academy's uniform as well as having different hair colors and styles.

¨We change our appearances when transforming, that way we protect our identities¨ Janna commented and opened her bag, inside a creature came out and started flying all around Sophie making the latter smile ¨That's Zephyr, my familiar. I presume you also have one too¨

¨Oh, yeah¨ Miller opened her backpack and pulled the small lion ¨This is Shisa, it surprised me in the morning and-¨ The girl stopped talking when she processed what the blonde from third grade said ¨Wait… how is it that it protects your identities? Doesn't Ahri take you pictures everytime you fight against the monsters?¨

¨Indeed, but our magic just helps us with that, maybe someone recognizes our face if they see us in person, but they are also affected by a spell so they would forget the guardian¨

¨So we just… wipe their memories?¨ Sophie asked and received affirmative nods and sounds from the four girls ¨I think I'm going to need that spell, I want to clean my name¨

¨Oh you mean the blog stuff?¨ Poppy joined in the conversation ¨That won't work, our spell doesn't affect the internet, we are Star Guardians, not some sort of computer geek. The only way for someone to remember our identity is if that person saw us transforming¨ Poppy explained, climbing to one of the chairs as she grabbed a plastic knife to cut a cake that was in one of the desks.

¨Besides, why even care about what other people said? Other students just criticize Pix and we both know they won't affect how we do our job¨ Lulu said, taking her familiar and hugging it as if it were a fluffy toy ¨By the way, what's your power?¨

¨Um… I… I don't know¨

¨Have you transformed?¨ Lux asked, the initial emotion started to fade away as Sophie shook her head ¨Have you… got a hold of your crystal?¨

¨My… what?¨

¨There are a lot of things I have yet to explain you…¨ Shisa commented as it covered its face in embarrassment, seeing how the new guardian had no clue about anything.

¨Then we will teach you! It is our duty as your fellow companions to help develop your powers as well as unlock the true potential, you will need help from your Shisa too¨ The leader said with a lot of energy, no wonder she seemed like the one in charge of the group ¨So first things first, this is our base of operations, we meet here every day at the end of school and discuss about… well everything, after all this is the Literature Club¨

¨But aren't you afraid someone actually joins this club?¨ But the other girls laughed at the newcomer ¨What?¨

¨Nobody joins the Literature Club, the only reason we did the stand yesterday was because we are forced to do it¨ Poppy sighed ¨Like everyone we looked for shelter at the club, we transform and then kick that monster's ass¨ The Yordle turned and gave Sophie a plastic dish with some cake along with a plastic fork.

Their conversation kept going on, the door to the classroom opened and someone sneaked in, the rest of the Star Guardians knew who it was and some were even trying to convince that person not to do the next part. Sophie seemed happy with all of this but there was something she didn't expect: A bucket full of cold water to fall over her head. The frozen sensation just sent shivers down her spine and it made Shisa to disappear and reappear close to Lux, just so they could actually see the damages that were caused.

¨JINX!¨ Lux said furiously and took the empty bucket from the rebel's hands ¨Not only you get here late you also pulled a prank on the newest member?!¨

¨Relax Lux, she knows it was just a prank¨ The student stood at the side of Sophie and placed her arm around the wet girl's neck ¨Right, Sophie?¨

¨What is **SHE** doing here?!¨ Miller pushed Jinx away and took a few steps back.

¨She… well… she is also a Star Guardian¨ Lux's words only made Sophie go nuts inside of her brain, her worst nightmare at the academy was also a fellow guardian. She wasn't sure whether it was Jinx the one who actually pulled the prank or the First Star who gave a person like the cyan haired powers, one thing was certain though: This was **not** going to be a good year for her.

* * *

 **I mean, it was bound to happen, that would be her way to introduce a new member. Now Jinx has another person to prank on the team but more explanations and background on each girl will come on the next chapter for Sophie.**

 **I want to try again the 'sole chapter' for each character siince it will help me develop more each one, there will of course be chapters where both Ren and Soph will share, but this one is only Sophie, the next one wiill be only Reginald and I can assure you it will have some fun parts.**

* * *

 **.Machine:** _I was looking for a star guardian story and i found one. I'm really happy you made one._

 **Glad that you liked it and I hope you stay 'till the end of the story :)**

* * *

 **Well it's my time to lay low, keep studying and all those things but before I go I want to remind everyone of the Discord server that we have on Fanfiction, join us at** **Discord dot gg / UpMHen3**

 **Also I need to remind myself to work on Heroes and Legends one day...**

 **But enough words for today hope you enjoyed the chapter and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

The day after the attack continued as a normal one, Reginald decided to remain silent about the monster as it might affect his stay on the Runeterra Academy. Instead he decided to narrate the story to his parents that it was just a normal and boring day where they had to pick a club, problem was that they asked which one he joined and of course the answer was empty.

He had to come up with an idea soon because being part of a club is mandatory if he wanted to be able get to the next year at the academy. Thankfully for him he wasn't alone, Ezreal was also club-less and they needed to find something by the end of the week or else there won't be any free spots on the best clubs.

¨How about athletics?¨ The blond stopped at the green light, looking at the cars going, they were still two blocks away but they could see already the big walls in the distance.

¨And having one of my lungs explode during the middle of a practice? No thanks¨

¨Well we don't have much to choose from, we don't know which clubs are empty so if you saw someone that is at least interesting...¨ The lights turned red and the boys were able to cross the street and continue their talk ¨Maybe archeology? Sounds a good one¨

¨I'm actually questioning why there's an archeology club or who runs is¨

¨That would be Sivir, when you come from a coastal city with a big beach like Shurima it wouldn't be a surprise someone is into old ruins and secret treasures¨

¨Heard about the old story of the city but…¨ When they arrived at the gates of the academy Ren was looking for someone but so far he was only seeing a lot of students but not the one he was searching ¨Where is she?¨

¨Who?¨

¨Soph, I haven't heard from her since yesterday and I'm worried¨ The brown haired boy looked back at Ezreal ¨She was attacked yesterday, well, protected from the attack but still¨

¨I'm sure she is fine, maybe you can contact her after classes because as of now…¨ The bell rang ¨We are getting late, come on!¨

…

The first period was terrifying, they had math with professor Karma which unlike the rest of the teachers they had she seemed more calm and less freaky. Sadly this changed the moment after the introductions since she immediately started with a lot of equations and a lot of them were either long or way too complicated, especially since by the time the entire board was written she gave an explanation and then erased everything to write something new.

Despite all the complaints and issues the period went fast (albeit painfully) and the next one had Ryze with another history lesson. Ren had an easy time since he enjoyed this subject and so did Ezreal who unlike the former student this one was writing lots and lots of notes as if he was trying to copy every word the professor was saying.

Thankfully recess arrived and everyone left the classroom, including the two comrades who were now walking around the corridors in hopes of finding the president of a club.

¨Cooking?¨

¨No, don't want to be called a girl¨

¨Archery?¨

¨Could be an option, let's look for something else¨

They kept searching but so far none seemed to fit their expectations or likings, either Ren agreed with it or Ezreal but none seemed seem to coincide on a single option. They were waiting by the same pillar they hid the day before only this time they were on the outside, seeing at all the rest of the students.

¨This is going to be hard…¨ Miles leaned on the pillar, crossing his arms and eyeing his friend

¨Well if you decided on a club we wouldn't be on this place¨

¨Oh¨ He stood and frowned ¨So it is my fault we couldn't decide yesterday? Let me remind you that a flying monster appeared and nearly killed us! But it's ok, because you don't want to get into something like chess¨

¨Chess is boring, plus if I get there Vi is gonna tease me about Caitlyn and knowing how she is quite a good friend with Vi as well as pretty serious about anything, chances are I'll end up bad¨

¨Could be worse though¨ The blond looked back, unaware of what `worse´ could be ¨She could be teasing you about L-¨

¨About who?¨ The feminine and lively voice distracted the two boys who immediately turned to the third person that joined them. It was Lux and of course Ezreal felt uncomfortable as soon as she appeared. One thing they noticed was that the female student was carrying a cake with many colors but still no decorations.

¨About… um... er… Leona!¨ Ez immediately answered and tried to change the subject before his face turned as red as their ties ¨So… what's… what's with that… cake?¨ He pointed at it, and looked back at Ren so he could actually follow him.

¨This? Oh, it's just… we're doing a welcoming party!¨ There was no doubt, Lux had a lot of energy in her voice and she also seemed happy, more than usual, however the boys didn't understand the reason behind that party and looked clueless ¨Oh, sorry, we have a new member at the Literature Club and we want to give her a proper welcome¨

¨Literature club…?¨ Both Ren and Ez looked at each other, considering the idea but they just laughed ¨Nah¨ They said at the same time.

¨As if you would join, people like you should go to a different club, something more… boy…ish?¨ The bell ranged once again, recess was over and they had to return for the next set of classes before lunch ¨Oh well, guess we'll talk later. Have fun!¨ Those were the last words from the blonde before leaving with the cake.

¨Now we don't have a club… we'll just pray that we find someone by the end of the day¨

¨Yeah… let's go, wonder what we'll have now¨ And the two boys left back to their classrooms, wishing that the list of clubs appear soon and with that a good one they both agree to join.

…

Two periods have passed and lunchtime arrived, once again Ren was trying to find Sophie but unfortunately she was nowhere to be found, however he did hear stuff about the girl that `sabotaged´ Ahri and by the description everyone was giving there was no doubt it was targeted to his friend.

By the time they were at the cafeteria the new student noticed how this area was big and had a lot of tables, the majority of them already occupied. They had the chance to either bring food from home or pay for the menu that was being served for the day, in this case it was a pair of sausages with some mashed potatoes, that menu also included a bottle of water and grape gelatin, not a bad lunch.

Unlike the other recess this one was longer so everyone could have enough time to lunch or do whatever they wanted, however waiting almost ten minutes in line to pay for the meal was an experience worse than death.

¨Hey I want you to meet someone, after all your circle of known people in this place is either your friend, me and maybe Taliyah¨

¨What's wrong with that? I'll get to know more people when I join a club¨

¨ _If_ you get to join, so far we are club-less and while it's not a good thing, I believe getting to know the right people might open a door for a club that might be full or close to that¨ Ezreal led the way, making sure not to crash onto someone while carrying his tray with all the food from the menu.

After walking and looking for many more people the blond kid finally found out his target, a lone man in one of the rectangular-shaped tables, eating his lunch and not paying attention to the rest of the world. Both Ren and Ezreal sat although the latter just greeted the man with black hair.

¨What do you want?¨ The man gave a small glance to the newcomers and then continued eating.

¨Yeah, hello to you too Talon. I'm just trying to help my friend over here to get to know more people¨ The blond pointed with the back of his fork and started with his meal.

¨Um… hi, my name is Regin-¨

¨Don't care, 'am eating¨ The `weird´ person said, still with food in his mouth. After digesting what he had he looked up to face the two visitors that decided to sit in his table ¨You should go to another table¨

¨W-why? This ain't your property!¨ It was clear that this conversation didn't start well, and by the looks of it there won't be any change anytime soon.

¨It isn't, but unless you want to have a bad time I suggest going to another one. You want to be close to me? Fine, but go over there¨ With a slight tilt of his head, Talon pointed at the table that was next to them but unfortunately none of the two kids listened to him which made the black haired sigh ¨You won't like it when she arrives with her squad…¨

¨Squad?¨ Ren just raised up a brow and looked at Ez ¨What's he talking about?¨

¨It's just…¨ He grabbed the tray ¨We should leave before-¨

¨Well hello there Ezzy…¨ Another voice came from behind them and three more girls sat at the same table, forcing the two students to stay there ¨Why leave so soon?¨

The `squad´ that Talon mentioned was pretty peculiar, one with white hair sat at the side of Ren while the other two were in front, a redhead at the left of Talon and a brunette on the left of this last girl, all of them wearing the academy uniform and with the same style: Skirt, white shirt and tie. It was terrifying seeing this three girls going together, especially since they were kind of menacing.

¨Kat let them go, they have other stuff to do¨ Talon tried to protect the two leavers but it was useless, they were already on the redhead's grasp.

¨Like what? It's lunchtime and nobody does anything¨ The woman smiled back at the scared Ezreal and clueless Ren ¨Well I guess we would need some introductions, two new students into the academy but only one that I haven't seen in my life. I'm Katarina, first daughter of the DuCouteau family and my sister… who is not here because she has some sort of popularity contest to win is Cassiopeia¨ She then pointed with her thumb at the man to her right ¨Maybe you talked to him but considering his weird nature… his name is Talon and he is my brother¨

¨Cousin…¨

¨Marcus treats you like a son, so we might as well consider each other brothers in a way¨

¨That's because…¨ The man shook his head and sighed ¨Never mind, continue¨ He stuck the fork on the sausage and resumed with his meal.

¨Ok… that girl on your side is Riven¨ She pointed this time at the white haired

¨Hey…¨ The girl raised her hand.

Miles turned to see her, however he met with the dark red irises from this woman and along with the white locks and lightly tanned skin it made the student tremble a bit ¨H-hey…¨

¨And for the last one…¨ Katarina looked at the student on her left ¨This one is a new student, just like you. Her name is Claire and unlike the rest that I mentioned she is just a cameo in this story¨

¨Yeah I'm- what? A cameo?! The brunette looked angrily at Katarina as they both started to argue.

¨Uh… a cameo?¨ Ren, despite all the introductions was even more clueless about this last part¨

¨Just keep following her game, I know a way to get us out of here¨ Ezreal whispered to his friend as he pulled the phone from his pants and started to type a message to someone.

¨ANYWAY!¨ Katarina raised her tone and ended the discussion with Claire and focused on the brown haired boy ¨We still don't have a name for you, unless you are just another silent member of this academy¨

¨Um… no… no my name is Reginald¨ Kat was already a danger for Ren and his best tip for himself would be to stay as far away as he can from her ¨Uhm… nice to meet you all¨

¨Now onto more pressing matters¨ The `leader´ seemed to turn towards Ezreal ¨Ezzy boy, have you invited Lux to a date?¨

¨What?! I don't have anything with Lux, don't know where you get that theory¨

¨Come on, as if I don't see you getting all red when she is nearby¨ She smiled and grabbed the fork ¨Besides, I visit her brother's house quite often so I get to see her most of the times, maybe I can tell Lux about someone's secret crush…¨

¨I better get going, need to meet with someone¨ Miles was about to stand up with his tray when Katarina stabbed the sausage in the plastic plate making the boy sit down as well as losing part of his meal since the redhead took it for herself.

¨You aren't going anywhere… turns out we listen to what other people say and we know how you two are in need of a club¨

¨Yes, we still have some open spots, and we could always use some good boys in it¨

¨And… what's this club you are talking about?¨

Before Katarina could open her mouth to answer someone stood in front of the two boys ¨There you are!¨ A feminine yet known voice gave relief to Ezreal, despite this woman just pulling the two boys from the shirt's collar. ¨I was looking for you everywhere!¨ It was Vi, this also relieved Ren as well who was already getting comfortable with the three other girls gazing at him.

¨What do you want with them, Piltie?¨ Katarina frowned, she wasn't in the best terms with the pink haired, much less with the people from the Piltover district who were called like that.

¨The boxing club is making an important meeting and some members were missing¨ She released the two students and tapped the clipboard with the entire list of people in said club ¨Now if you excuse us I need to make sure everyone is there¨ Vi grinned and pushed the two `members´ out of the cafeteria.

…

By the time they were far away from there Ezreal stopped and smiled ¨Nice idea you got there Vi, the boxing club was a nice touch, for a moment I thought you would bring Cait as well to help us¨

¨Yeah… but I'm not letting you two leave¨ The two smaller students looked confused ¨You see… I had to make this `trick´ realistically as possible, and therefore I brought my clipboard with the names of all of the members and guess what!´ She handed it to Ezreal.

It didn't took long before he noticed the last two names on that list ¨Wait… WHAT?!¨ The blond then looked up with a furious look in his eyes ¨VI! WHY?!¨

¨You needed a club so instead of going into something like… I dunno, sewing, I put you in a better club, mine¨

¨That's just… you cold-hearted…¨ Ezreal grunted and threw the clipboard to Vi who caught it ¨I'm more irritated by the fact that you wrote my surname wrong¨

¨I'm pretty sure it's like that, not sure why you are pissed¨

¨Oh so Ezreal Blondhair is my full name?¨ The pink haired lady nodded ¨I… I can't… at least write down my surname right! It's-¨

¨Sorry to interrupt you two but I gotta check up on someone, yes? If you can Ez just… erase my name from there I don't think boxing is my type of club¨ Ren just smiled and walked away, he had something important to do.

¨Wait you can't leave, the meeting was actually true!¨ Vi tried to stop Reginald but Ezreal got in her way, he wanted an apologize, too bad the tall student was not an easy person.

It was no joke the new student had something important, and that was to check on Sophie, over the four classes he wasn't able to send her a message and she hasn't picked up the ones from the morning so _something_ happened. After crossing the entire courtyard he went directly for the floor where Soph's classroom was, he found a lot of students in his way, many that haven't gone to the cafeteria or were just ready for the last set of classes of the day. Before he got to his friend's floor someone ran past him and made him lose his balance since this golden haired shadow hit his shoulder. Sadly Ren couldn't follow that person since it disappeared as it went down the staircase.

After he arrived at the classroom he felt relieved for the second time in the day. Sohpie was in her desk and reading a note. With a smile in his face the calm student just walked to his friend.

¨Glad to see you are alive¨

¨Mh? Oh! Ren! Sorry, I didn't answer your message earlier¨ Sophie was surprised, maybe she also thought he was absent.

¨So how do you feel? You know… getting saved by the Star Guardians and all. You were pretty shocked yesterday¨

¨I had a bad night, couldn't sleep properly and found myself to some… weird stuff¨ The girl just smiled, as if nothing happened but her desk just jumped making the boy give a step back ¨Sorry¨

¨What was that?¨ He raised one of his brows, the fact that the desk slightly jumped at least a few centimeters was odd.

¨I… yeah I'm… I'm nervous ok? What happened yesterday it… it struck me ok? And for some reason, probably stress or something, I just… uh… hit the desk… yeah¨

¨Um… ok?¨

¨Ren… I need to ask you something… not sure if you are going to believe me because it's gonna sound or be weird¨

¨I mean… just look around¨ He opened his arms as if he meant everything in the academy ¨This place should be a normal institution and instead we found ourselves in the middle of a battle between a weird tentacle monster and the Star Guardians, you got saved by them and now you are just fine…¨ Reginald sighed and chuckled ¨I've seen enough weird things in a single day that anything new would be… normal¨

¨Well… I guess I'll have to show you this too¨ Sophie started to open the desk but before she could even grab what was inside the rebel on the desk to the left shot a piece of wet paper at the boy, this made the student close the desk without pulling anything out ¨What?¨ She turned to face the culprit ¨Why?!¨

¨Your boyfriend should leave¨ The bell rang and some of the students that were waiting outside were now entering the classroom ¨Yeah, because of that¨

¨Ok… for the record¨ He immediately turned to Jinx ¨I'm not her boyfriend, just a friend from childhood and….¨ Then to Sophie ¨Look, you'll show me any other day what that weird thing was. I came here just to see if you are okay and I'm glad that you are. Now I better get going, need to get to the other side of the courtyard or else I'll get late¨

¨Yeah… well… thanks. I'll swear I'll answer any future messages that you send¨ Miller smiled and waved as her friend left the classroom.

The rest of the day went smoothly, boring classes and nothing else to note except that Ezreal managed to delete his name and Ren's from the list of the Boxing Club, this however also meant that they were club-less and they had to find something by the end of the week or they will be assigned to a boring club… or worse.

* * *

 **So this is what happened with Ren during that day: Meeting new people, joining a club that he didn't wanted to plus discovering that his friend is alive and well, although 'well' could also mean that she is a Star Guardian, but that's something for Reginald to discover in the future!**

 **Next chapter will feature Sophie once again as well as some background on the SGs and some more storytime, also let's see how the bonding will work with each member of this group.**

* * *

 **AngelX879:** _i wanna read if Soph beat the shit out of Jinx... IT WOULD BE GREAT_

 **It would, yes, but Star Guardians have rules against beating the shit out of other members... I mean... those may change in the future when Team B shows up (Or maybe not, that depends...)**

* * *

 **And that's a wrap for today, will return to my studies and play some Car mechanic simulator (It's a good game, I swear!) but I can't forget to promote the discord channel. Remember:** **Discord dot gg / UpMHen3 it's free and you can use your browser to join, no mandatory installs (despite Discord actually having a client)**

 **Like I said that's a wrap and such I'm gone but as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	7. Chapter 7

Everything was a mess, being a Star Guardian was confusing already but having someone like Jinx on the team? That was a complete different business. After one of her new companions gave her a towel, she could only hear Lux and Poppy arguing with Jinx about her behavior. On the other side of the room Lulu was eating cake and sharing with Pix while Janna was looking at the other three guardians, Shisa on the other hand was at the side of the newest member, still trying to dry her hair.

¨I don't understand any of this. They don't look at all like the girls from the pictures¨ Soph whispered, holding the towel in her hands ¨Star Guardians are supposed to be… I don't know, something else¨

¨Star Guardians also have a life to fulfill outside of their duties, they are around your age so it won't be a surprise they act like that¨ Shisa commented, looking at how the discussion still went on with the other members.

¨Maybe… but I just can't get over the fact that Jinx is also a guardian, like… what can she bring to the table with all her attitude and pranks?¨ The student frowned, leaving the towel on one of the desks ¨There's one thing you never told me Shisa¨ The familiar turned to the girl ¨Lux talked about some sort of crystal, what did she mean by that?¨

¨It's the source of our powers¨ They both looked at the blonde student from third grade. Janna seemed like the oldest member since she was on third grade, however it was a mystery as to why Lux was the leader ¨All the Star Guardians have two things that will keep them alive, their familiar and a crystal that will help them channel their powers as well as transform. If a crystal is destroyed the guardian loses its power, but it's not permanent as a familiar can produce a new one, but it will take time¨ The warm look on Janna's face slowly turned into a more serious one ¨However familiars are not immortal, if they die no more crystals will be produced and therefore if a guardian loses the last piece…¨

The silence from the third grader was more than enough, Sophie turned to Shisa, worried that her new partner would get killed in a coming battle ¨But… I don't have that crystal, I don't know my powers or anything¨ She looked back at Janna ¨How will I know any of that?¨

¨In due time, but for now… considering Lux and the others are having a big argument you will probably have many questions and I hope to answer them all¨

¨Right… so… uh… why us?¨ The blonde tilted her head ¨I mean, why choose girls from our ages to fight a battle that will decide the destiny of the universe?¨

¨Because the First Star found you worthy enough, just like how it did for the rest of us. But you should know, the same way as it happens with Lux, Lulu, Jinx and Poppy, you are part of a new legacy of Star Guardians¨

¨New legacy?¨

¨Yes, in the past only stars were chosen to become guardians and fight in the name of the light. I am one of them and fought against the Dark Star for many years now; after our work was done we were sent to sleep until we were needed again. I was summoned once again with other three young guardians to help Lux with the battle against the monsters¨

¨Wait so if you… you are part of the _old_ Star Guardians… how is it that you look like that? Like… our age?¨

¨When we are sent to sleep we don't age, our bodies remain young despite being thousand years old¨

¨Holy… you really are an old lady!¨

Of course this commentary wasn't too funny for Janna who immediately frowned, fire formed in her eyes. If there was one thing she despised most was that someone called her old, Jinx was the most common case since she liked to make jokes about it, but now the newest member as well? **¨I'M NOT AN OLD LADY!¨**

No doubt, the energetic shout that Janna made not only stopped the argument between the girls, but also pushed Sophie away. From that moment Sophie knew that the blonde's power had to do with the wind or just screaming, either way the entire classroom went quiet ¨She really doesn't like being called like that…¨ Shisa whispered, the familiar hid behind its guardian who had to hold onto one of the chairs.

Despite Janna still angry at the comment from the newest member, she returned to normal when someone was tucking at her skirt, as she looked down the student noticed Lulu who had a sad look on her face ¨Miss Janna, is everything alright?¨

¨Yes, just… bit of an outrage¨ The third grader moved a tuft of hair away from her eyes.

¨Come on, I'm pretty sure we are only scaring Sophie¨ Lux got closer along with the other two members, Poppy standing at the side of her Yordle companion while Jinx just sat on one of the desks, scratching her side ¨Now… I guess you have questions? Before we go into the important we want to make sure you have no more doubts left¨

Miller's eyes slightly looked at the cyan haired rebel who was not paying attention to this conversation, that's when she thought of the next important question in her mind ¨Why is Jinx a Star Guardian?¨

¨Because it is what the First Star decided¨ Lux commented and Janna nodded, agreeing with this.

¨The team needed someone with a rebel attitude!¨ Lulu's cheerful comment just made Sophie smile and chuckle.

¨Because the First Star thought that someone should deal with Jinx's attitude and put us on charge of it¨ Poppy was not agreeing on the idea of having that student as a member, despite the good results they were getting from previous battles.

¨To be honest I don't know and I don't care, but as long as I'm allowed to destroy star monsters I'm not complaining¨ Jinx just said bored, out of nowhere the black and white familiars that she drew on her desk and papers appeared, with a devilish smile on her face the pink-eyed madman just hugged both animals and looked at the newest member ¨Hey 'Phie, catch¨ Without any further notice, the sable haired girl just had to get a hold of the two creatures that were flying towards her. Even though they were small they were slippery and the fact that they were floating just made it even hard for her. After a failed attempt the two familiars just floated on top of the girl and then rested on each shoulder.

¨How is it that you get two familiars…¨ Sophie slowly looked at Shisa ¨And I get one?¨

¨Depends on the Guardian, some may not show any, such as is Lux and Poppy's case¨ Janna explained, using her hand to motion at each member and familiar ¨People like you, Lulu or me have only one while in Jinx's case it's two. However I do remember seeing someone with three¨

¨I see¨ Sophie used one of her hands to grab the white creature. Its body was covered in fur with two wings on the top, tiny feet and a horn on the forehead, the eyes shared the same color as the black counterpart and their guardian. The student smiled and caressed the familiar, hugging it as if it were a plush toy ¨Oh my… I need one of these for my bedroom!¨ A high pitched cough came from the small lion that was floating behind the girl, when she noticed this she immediately let the familiar go ¨I'm… sorry, but you are cute too Shisa¨

¨Yeah yeah… you won't think of cute about me when training starts, then you'll see my true face¨

¨What's it saying?¨ Lux asked even though the creature was quite audible, even if the student was far away from it.

¨Wait… you…¨ Sophie was looking back between the leader and her familiar ¨You deaf or something?¨

¨You can say that about all of us¨ Poppy interrupted ¨You can only hear your familiar, for the rest is just weird noises¨ The dark haired girl looked at the two creatures from Jinx who were staring back at her.

¨Shiro, Kuro! Come back¨ Both familiars emitted the `weird noises´ Poppy described, the closest she could tie the sound to was a squirrel, and even that it would be weird.

¨Do you have any more questions?¨ The leader once again asked, Sophie tried to think any but nothing came to her head so she just moved from left to right ¨Good! I guess we can start to inform you about the important stuff then. Please have a seat¨

The new guardian just sat on one of the desks that was facing the whiteboard, the rest of the members were at each side with pictures and some other cute drawings made by Lulu.

¨Alright so first things first: Rules¨

¨Boring…¨ The extra comment from Jinx just made the leader sigh before she could continue talking.

¨We Star Guardians fight against the Dark Star and the monsters¨ The rest of the members that weren't talking showed pictures of the different monsters, most of them taken from Ahri's blog, including the one they fought yesterday ¨All of them appear through portals or rifts, it is our duty to defeat said creatures and close the portals before more of them walk into our world¨

¨Our identity is our most valuable asset, we don't know what kind of forms will the Dark Star take or which methods it is going to use and therefore our powers must remain a secret, to our family, to our friends, everyone. Understood?¨ Sophie nodded at Poppy's instructions ¨It is also important that you remember: People will forget our faces once we de-transform thanks to the memory wipe but if someone sees us transform in the first place, they will remember our identity no matter what¨

¨That is why we choose places where we know no one is seeing us such as bathrooms, empty classrooms or even the rooftop¨ Janna continued with all the explanations ¨Which leads us to the next rule: No abusing of our powers¨

¨Well that would be easy for me…¨ The new student smiled and laughed on the inside.

¨For now¨ The third grader responded ¨We don't know yet what kind of powers you will have, but regardless of anything, you shouldn't abuse your new skills for a personal gain. We are on the good side, not the other one; this also means that we won't hurt any innocent people, we save them¨ Janna sighed at the following part ¨And for the record: Exploding part of a building just to create a landslide that leads to a safe area while we are fighting in the middle of it, does not count as a good action¨

¨Yeyeyeye, I get it old lady, my turn!¨ Janna frowned at these words as Jinx threw all the pictures she was holding into the air and rushed to Soph's desk ¨The last rule is: Destroy as many monsters as possible and dance over their dead bodies!¨

¨That's… that's not a rule… not even close to it¨ Shisa muttered, crossing is arms as it sat on top of its guardian's head.

¨Jinx…¨ Lux grabbed the cyan haired by the shoulders and put her away ¨What she meant but last rule was that as guardians we protect each other and we don't fight or kill any fellow companions. You got that?¨ Sophie nodded, still in silence although she noticed that when the leader mentioned this last part Janna seemed to look away, biting her lower lip, seemed odd, especially since the rest was happy about this moment.

¨So… what now? Do I get to choose my power or… do they come with time?¨

¨With time, you'll have to wait for your familiar to develop the crystal, until then you'll have to stay on the backlines and study what we do. We don't want to put you in danger just yet, eventually you'll have to help us¨

¨I know… but until then…¨

¨Until then, you stay on the back, yes?¨ Lux smiled at a positive answer from the girl on the desk ¨Good, then I can say this special meeting is over and you are now officially a member of the literature club¨ After an uncomfortable silence they all looked at each other ¨So… we can all leave, we have nothing else to do¨

¨Yeah um… I'll… I'll just return home then, think about all this, talk to Shisa and- Oh, maybe we could give each other our phone numbers?¨ Both Lux and Sophie pulled out their phones, the former typing down the number that was written on the screen from the latter ¨Good now… I'm leaving. Have a nice day… fellow guar-... club members¨ After waving to the rest of the team Sophie just left along with Shisa.

¨Do you think she has the potential to become a Star Guardian?¨ Poppy looked at Lux who collapsed on the teachers' desk.

¨We'll have to see, without powers she is useless to us now¨

¨Do you want me to try and see if we can find out what she can do?¨

¨No!¨ Everyone answered to Jinx at the same time. The last thing they wanted was the cyan haired to pull as many pranks as possible on the newest member.

* * *

 **We have some background on a few Star Guardian stuff, eventually I'll focus on each member of the team as well as their stories, especially Janna who might have issues later on, if you catch my drift (wink wink)**

 **Next up will be Ren who will have some issues of his own, as well as meeting more people for his friendship circle, let's just hope it doesn't turn into something like Talon where three girls would keep him and Ezreal hostage.**

* * *

 **.Machine:** _pacing is still good here, and with the plot, I feel you would make the two guys join a club related to S.G stuff_

 **Well there is no doubt they will join a club, maybe not a SG related one. Truth be told, they will be tied to the Star Guardians in a way (I mean... Ezreal...)**

* * *

 **It's almost 1 in the morning, Worlds begin in 2 hours and I won't stay up to see it, even when Fnatic plays on monday I will be asleep. Kinda busy week this was and the next one will also be busy due to two exams, one on monday the other one on thursday.**

 **But you know what also is busy?** **Discord dot gg / UpMHen3 There are many authors and readers there, you can chat, have fun, shitpost, post memes, shitpost even more and who knows? Maybe get inspired to make a fic or give some nice feedback to any author you may like (Although in the end ends up with more shitposting)**

 **I'm out, I need to go to sleep and then back to the planning board, there's still lots of stuff to do, and update Heroes & Legends, jesus. But you know, tired or now I will still say my regular quote:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	8. Chapter 8

The last bell rang and the day was finally over, classes ended and therefore everyone was allowed to return home, however this was not the idea for Reginald and Ezreal who were discussing on the former's desk about which club to join. They made a long list with all the clubs that were still available (and were willing to participate in) but so far out of thirty at least twenty were already scratched out.

¨Robotics?¨

¨Nu-uh¨ Ezreal shook his head ¨I like it and all that but I don't want to be called a nerd for the rest of the years here…¨

Reginald sighed and crossed out another one from the long list ¨We really aren't getting nowhere…¨ With another sigh, this time of defeat, the new student placed his forehead against the desk ¨Should've chosen archery, I wanted to use a bow…¨

¨Hey come on, we should consider splitting up as a last resort, but for now we can still try and find a club we both can enjoy¨ Ezreal grabbed the sheet of paper and looked at the remaining ones ¨Maybe we can do well on… carpentry¨

¨I'm starting to wonder how it is possible that this place can hold so many clubs and has a big variety¨

¨Well you should consider that the Runeterra Academy is the best and therefore everyone who has good grades or some deep pockets can enter. Anyone can have different talents or abilities and therefore the academy promotes said skills with the creation of the clubs, the majority of them are made by students and for the students and sure, there are a few exceptions but I'd rather stay away from a club that has a professor as the president¨

¨Wait… so if the clubs are made by students…¨ Reginald rose his head up and looked at the blond man ¨Maybe we can make something¨

¨I already ditched the idea from the get-go, you _can't_ make a club since you need to be a third grader or have the consent from a person of said year who would act as the `manager´ and this one controls the president; after that you would need at least five people who would act as members¨

¨That's… a problem…¨

¨Besides, what could we do?¨ They both nodded as Ezreal kept looking at the list ¨Maybe… metalworking?¨

¨Metal-what?¨

¨You know, work with metals, and forge an object, like a blacksmith only with more modern tools and such¨

¨Eh… I guess we can do that?¨ Ren stood up from his chair and walked with Ezreal outside of the classroom ¨I thought finding a club would be easier, turns out everyone already goes for the best ones¨ The student muttered, looking through the window as many students were still leaving the place ¨By the way, do you know what kind of club Katarina was suggesting us? Maybe it is better than the ones from our list¨

¨You're not… considering Kat's offer, right?¨ Ren shrugged ¨Well I'm going to tell you that she and Riven are in an art club¨ So far the brown haired didn't' find any problem with that ¨Thing is, it's mostly a girls club and what boys do is… pose…¨

¨What's your point?¨

¨…naked¨

¨What?! Why would they be so interested in drawing me without clothes?!¨ He looked at his body and then a weird idea came across his mind ¨Do… do you think they believe I look good?¨

¨Well considering Katarina has a boyfriend and Riven is… I don't know what Riven is… look; just stay away from her alright? She's violent, a cheerleader and vice president of that art club, probably more things but that would take lot of time¨

They kept walking until they got to the courtyard, the two boys talked but Ren stopped when he saw Sophie on the other side, talking to her new group of friends in which one of them was Lux. Ren had no better idea than to pull Ezreal so they could both talk to this group, but someone stepped in their way, it was the same dark haired student they met at the cafeteria today, he looked pissed (more than the when Ren first met him).

¨Come with me, there is an important matter we need to discuss¨ Talon frowned, and started pushing the two boys who escaped from the redhead's grasp during lunch. However his efforts to drag them away were also interrupted by the group of girls which Sophie was part of.

¨Ren? What's… what's going on?¨ The raven haired girl asked, looking both at his friend and then at Talon.

¨We? Uh… we are… having a talk¨ The student looked at the angry man who nodded ¨Yeah… a talk, but we have to go somewhere else to do this… talk… you know? Boy stuff and that?¨

¨Seems like you are about to fight or something¨ Poppy crossed her arms and frowned.

¨Seems like you are overthinking too much¨ Talon scoffed with a smile and then returned to his not-so-happy look and pushed his prey away.

¨Talk to you later Sophie!¨ Was the last thing Ren was able to say before they were too far away from each other.

…

Talon pushed the two students to the closest bathroom and made sure no one was there. They expected the worse, probably a few punches from this man even though they were unsure as to why they would get bullied if they haven't done anything against him.

After making sure they were the only three people in the bathroom Talon pushed the dryer button so his voice would get suppressed by the loud noise and no one but Ez and Ren would hear him ¨Listen up, you are probably thinking that the reason I dragged you here was to beat you down, you can relax and think something else¨ The sighs of relief from the other two gave it away, they were very afraid by the time they entered the bathroom ¨I don't want to distract you too much because we don't have much time. I dragged you here because this place is the only one Kat would not enter and because I heard about you two being club-less¨

¨Oh, I'm sorry but we already chose one so… thank you for the offer nonetheless¨ Ezreal smiled and scratched the back of his head, even if they were safe from a possible attack from the man this doesn't mean the situation wasn't awkward and being in front of Talon was still striking some fear into the blond.

¨Oh really? Then I guess you should tell the other club that you will no longer be part of it¨ Talon crossed his arms and leaned by the dryer ¨I'm giving you the chance to participate in a better club than what you are probably going for, chances are that when you try to join they'll say there won't be any more empty spots or anything; what happens afterwards? Katarina will add your names on her club and you know what will come if you are in it…¨

No doubt, Talon also knew about the art club and how people pose naked, for Ren this was strange since the man was aggressive back at the cafeteria and now he extended his hand to help them ¨How do we know you're not going to add us to Kat's club? You're her brother after all, it wouldn't be a surprise if you were on a pact with her or something¨ The new student asked, he was still uncertain of Talon's true intentions.

¨Ok first of all: I'm not her brother, we are cousins, ok? It's a long story and this is not the place, time or even the main point of discussion. Second, we might be close but that doesn't mean I work with her on everything, I would _never_ get close to her club, despite the idea of girls drawing me naked is… well confusing at some times¨

¨So tell us then, what kind of club are you inviting us to¨ Ezreal continued with the conversation, getting close to the soap machine and pouring some in his hands as he started to wash them.

¨Athletics club, it doesn't have a lot of free spots left but I'm in good terms with the president, he'll let you in if I recommend you¨

¨There's something odd about this…¨ Ren looked at his friend who was now drying his hands, he nodded as well since they were still unsure about Talon ¨You act neutral, probably not in a good way with us, you didn't defend us with your cousin and now you come out nowhere, faking a probably beating just to invite us to your club. Kinda fishy if you ask me¨

¨I'm offering you a chance to participate in a good club, you don't want in? Fine, but don't come crying after you are sent to a boring-ass club¨ Talon huffed and turned off the dryer as he walked away from the bathroom but before he left he turned to see the boys once again ¨I'm giving you until tomorrow, on the cafeteria you'll give me your answer and for your own sake… you better choose to join this club. Have a good day¨ And thus he left, leaving both Reginald and Ezreal with more questions than answers.

* * *

 **A short chapter I know, been busy this week and decided to post something when I had the chance, story is slow right now for Ren but it will get more interesting as this arc goes on (Yes I'm dividing the story into different arcs, not sure how many chapters will be for each one) Next up will be Sophie and how he bonds with some members of the group as well as her effort to learn how to use her still non visible powers.**

* * *

 **Paxter:** _Hey, man... Greetings from Colombia!_

 _I know that you took a break from H &L, and that kinda sucks... Really liked SM back at '15. I read it two times, man. I love the Nick-Leona couple, because they are for each other, and helps the man to improve, not only as summoner, but also as man (wife material (?)), and Nick has so much potential, holding the power of the sun and the moon together... He can easily be the most powerful summoner of the 4 earthlings. _

_What I'm saying man, is to bring the fic back, give it the end that it deserves, beacuse you have so much potential, you can make the characters unique, and make the reading so satisfying... But, no pressure, man, I really mean it, but it would be soooo cool to bring the summoner group back... Will Matt finally have a threesome? Will Nick overcome his limits and stop being a wuss? Will they kick Malzahar's purple ass once and for all? I WANNA KNOW!_

 _Finally, do what makes you happy, my friend. I wish I could write something as cool as I read here before your last fic, and I am grateful that you put your grain in the vast and beautiful universe that it's LoL. Keep writing, keep bringing this to life, I know you can do it._

 _Y ahora en español: BUENA SUERTE, AMIGO. Y EN TODO LO QUE TE PROPONGAS. :D_

 **Man... this really made me emotional, can't say I did a good job with Heroes & Legends since I somewhat killed the story with my 'retirement'. Yes, I promised I would keep working on it and maybe the next thing I'll post is a chapter from said story. Also you are probably the first one who likes Nick-Leona and not Matt-Cait-Vi.**

 **But what can I say? I'm just a regular writer, and if I learned something is that anyone can be a writer, you just have to have your story idea in your head and write it down.**

 **Gracias.**

 **.Machine:** _Initial interaction between the members was cool to see, Also during each chapter, do you switch between Sophie and Ren's side of the story? Like in 1 chapter we are following Sophie, then the next we go to Ren._

 **The answer is yes, my plan is to have a chapter for each character, this one was for Ren so the next one will be for Sophie. Some chapters might feature both of them as seen on the first two ones.**

 **Kivas Icarus:** _So the familiars are what gives a guardian their powers through their crystals, neat. But them where do Poppy and Lux get their crystals if they don't have familiar to create them?_

 _Also it says in Lux's bio that if she channels a lot of starlight through her wand she can actually bring out a familiar named Mimi, but there isn't any image of it. That would make canonically only poppy without a familiar...maybe the hammer is actually one? I dunno._

 _Anyways, I'm really liking the story so far, I had the same idea that Soraka was the first star, but apparently Riot thinks otherwise. Maybe Aurelion Sol is the first star in canon, but he is kind of too much of a jackass and a bit too evil for the job...who knows. I am curious of what Sophie's powers will be, maybe something similar to soraka as well, it will be kind of funny to see her silencing Jinx when she gets too annoying leading to shenenigans._

 **Kinda spoiler...ish? My idea is that Sophie does have Soraka's powers (Since this Raka is the First Star, someone has to fill that empty spot) and everything that comes with it BUT... she will have some extra stuff as well, it's just a bit too early to talk anything about it ;). Oh and trust me, Jinx is quite a bother as a regular student, when they are fighting she won't even stop teasing Sophie, unless something more important happens.**

 **Now about the familiars. Yes I know Mimi is Lux's familiar and is the one from the ward you can buy. Lux saw her familiar once but then it has been in the wand/scepter ever since, eventually it will appear, but not now. As for Poppy, I don't remember now but I do believe her familiar is also in the hammer (I think before the Burning Bright group got released, Poppy had a small hammer that acted as familiar but it got removed or I don't know)**

 **Now for the powers and to wrap up the discussion is that the familiar are within the weapons and therefore the crystal appears by the weapon.**

* * *

 **Now going a bit off-topic with the Star Guardians and onto League. Holy, that Eve rework is waaaaaaaaay too good, the splash arts are also good and while I was hoping to buy Tango Eve I saw the horrific model she has in game (For those unaware, the splash shows eve as a Blonde woman with pale skin while in game she has blue skin and white-blue hair) Thankfully Riot mentioned they will be doing changes.**

 **If you want to discuss more about the fic, game, or even other stuff you can find me and other authors and readers on Discord!** **Discord dot gg / UpMHen3 I'm active most of the time so you can find me talking a lot, I also have an NA and LAN account so if anyone wants to add me there you can, the name is Tourvelix so you won't have problems finding me (Yes I'm low level on both accounts and yes, I will level them up... eventually)**

 **And that's it for today's chapter I'm leaving and going to do some other stuff such as... this... and... that... you know... _stuff._ Until then I leave but as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	9. Chapter 9

It was the last day of the first week at the academy; Sophie had a rough time with all the instructions from her fellow guardians and tried to get used to having Jinx bothering her all the time, sadly the rules prohibited her from harming the cyan haired and she clearly was not the type of girl who would lower to the same level as Jinx. Even though no new monsters appeared the newest member had to be trained and this was all in charge of Shisa whose main objective was to make her guardian fit for the job when the time came. After she was finished with her homework the familiar shouted at the student to get out of the house and start running around the park; whenever Sophie questioned the creature's orders she was forced to run even more.

It was a tiresome week; even if Sunday arrived she felt her body without any energy and that would be a problem for the classes on the next day. After taking a bath and cleansing all of the sweat from training Sophie laid on the bed with Shisa looking at her from the bedframe.

¨You're not going far if you get tired like that¨ The small lion crossed its arms and frowned ¨A Star Guardian must be prepared for any kind of problem, tired or not if a monster appears out of nowhere you must stand up and fulfill your duty¨

¨I… I know… but I still don't get it…¨ Sophie's breaths were heavy, she wanted to sleep but the familiar was not going to allow her ¨Why am I training… like this and not… not with my powers¨

¨Because using your powers drain a lot of your energy and you don't want to collapse in the middle of a battle, you can't let your fellow guardians down!¨

¨I just want to know…¨ The newest member of the team slowly stood up until she was able to sit on her bed ¨What kind of powers do I have?¨

¨I am afraid I don't know, they tend to be related to your personality, if you are a bad person or something similar your powers would be more effective at hurting the enemy, but considering you are as white as a star I guess you would fulfill a supportive role or something and-¨ Both Shisa and Sophie turned at the door, the lion flew towards the girl's lap and rested there as if it was a plush toy.

The door opened and the student's mother entered the room ¨Someone is outside, she is looking for you¨

¨Who is it mom?¨

¨A girl, goes by the name of Luxanna, do you know her?¨ Her daughter nodded and a smile just came from the adult's face ¨Well, don't be so lazy and go talk to her!¨

After almost getting kicked away from her room, Sophie grabbed her backpack she used for the academy and put Shisa inside. Once outside, the dark haired girl found herself with the leader of her new group; she wasn't wearing the school uniform, instead she had a blue skirt a pair of dark shoes and a blouse that shared the same color as the rest which made a huge contrast to what the new member was using, in this case a set of running gear that consisted of a short sleeved shirt and a pair of shorts, both of them in a bright green hue.

¨How did you know I live here?¨ Sophie never gave her address to any of the members to the group, the only ones that knew where her house was were Reginald and Taliyah.

¨I try to keep tabs on every member of the team¨ Lux's answer didn't convince her companion so she sighed ¨Ok that's not true, but I know where you live because Jinx is almost right around the corner and told me she saw you here¨

Just what she needed, not only she had to share the same classroom and team with Jinx, she also lives relatively close to her ¨I see… so… what are you doing here?¨ If it was an emergency then Lux wouldn't be so calm, there was something else that Soph could not find just yet.

¨I wanted to talk to you so we can get to know each other better, after all we will have to cover each other's backs so I want to know who my companions are¨

¨Oh… um… sure, do you want to come in or-?¨

¨Let's go for a walk, I can already see you are properly dressed for it¨ Lux looked at the clothes her companion was wearing and decided to start this walk, even though Sophie wanted to stay inside after a long and tiresome day of training.

…

Their walk led them to the park, it was Sunday and a lot of people was enjoying this sunny afternoon. It was close to 5 PM and many students were there, not only people from the academy but also from other schools around the city.

¨So you and your friend ended up going to the academy, despite telling your parents about the weird rumors?¨ Lux was curious about Sophie's life, the new student seemed like a complete mystery, a girl who just stumbled to save Ahri and ended up becoming a Star Guardian.

¨They claimed that the education was the best one; I mean… they are right but still¨ She shrugged and stopped walking her eyes looking at the pond and the bridge, the blonde noticed it and turned around to look at her sister in arms ¨It's kinda weird that my life changed in just a single week…¨ Soph moved her vision a bit so she could catch a glimpse of the leader ¨How was it? Becoming a Star Guardian and all?¨

Lux chuckled and crossed her arms ¨I guess I had it worse, I experienced first-hand what those monsters were doing and unlike you, there were no Star Guardians to save the day¨

¨So how did you become one?¨

¨I guess the same way as you did? I tried to help someone from a possible death, but unlike you I got slightly injured. That night I got a dream about the First Star, told me about everything and my duty…¨ Lux raised up her head and saw at the sky ¨I accepted, I couldn't stand seeing people in danger while the creatures were destroying everything in their path¨

¨So you were the first Star Guardian, at least one of the first ones in this era… Do you enjoy being one?¨

¨It was a true pain the first times I had to fight, eventually I got stronger and found my way around. Thankfully the First Star sent the rest of the team to help me and even though I'm not the best leader…¨She sighed ¨At least I'm having fun, being at the side of my friends¨ Lux smiled and winked at the new student who was interested in the narration from her fellow guardian ¨How do _you_ think your life as a Star Guardian will fare?¨

¨Hard to tell, I haven't fought with any of those monsters, no experience in combat, hell, I don't even know what my powers are!¨

 _¨You will know when there's an actual fight!¨_ Shisa replied from inside of the backpack.

¨I guess we'll just have to wait, I'm eager to see what you are capable of!¨ Lux was so positive, it was impressive to see someone like this ¨Don't forget that you'll have to come after class every day due to the literature club¨

¨Yeah I know...¨ Sophie looked away for a second, thinking of something else to talk about ¨Hey I was wondering… how did Jinx join the team? She is not the type of person who would… you know¨

¨Qualify as a Star Guardian? Yeah, I was surprised too. Jinx is a friend from childhood, we went to the same school before I moved to the academy, a year later I found her not only in the same place where I study but also the fact that she became a member of the team, along with Janna, Poppy and Lulu¨ The blonde found out a bench was free so they both sat there, they were looking at the pond as people were leaving the park or just walking around, even if the sun was slowly going down ¨Please don't mind Jinx's behavior, she might be a person without any rules but on the inside is the type of person you could actually like¨

¨I don't know… she keeps pulling pranks on me, she's not taking this thing about a being a Star Guardian serious¨ In just a single week Jinx was able to three different pranks on Sophie, from a bucket full of water to a tack on her seat or even some books disappearing just to find them floating in one of the toilets of the bathroom.

¨She'll get tired eventually, just try not to react to them and Jinx will stop. Alternatively you can pull a bigger prank on her, but that hasn't happened, ever¨

 _¨Don't you even dare play her game!¨_ Once again Shisa commented (or ordered) the guardian.

¨Shut up¨ Sophie whispered, tapping the bag so her familiar could actually stay calm. After that she turned to Lux once again ¨I guess she was teasing you when she joined the team as well¨

¨Yeah… flying around, especially when I was on a date with Ez-¨ The leader's eyes widened ¨I mean… pulling pranks and all that¨

¨No… you said Ez…¨ The dark haired girl raised her finger at Lux, the latter was moving her head left and right, trying to deny any kind of assumption the new member had ¨Oh my… you… you and Ezreal are a couple, that's so cute!¨

¨No!¨ The silent guardian raised her tone ¨We're nothing, ok? This. `date´ that I mentioned was nothing but a walk in the park, after that nothing happened, I even doubt he has any interest in me so why should I actually believe there might be something¨

¨Well you can always try go on an actual date with him, maybe he likes you or something¨

¨Then what? We go out, we are happy and I tell him I'm a Star Guardian?¨ Lux stood up ¨We try to keep who we actually are a secret, not even my family knows the truth, it's to keep those that we care about safe¨

¨So you care about Ezreal?¨ With a big grin in her face Soph saw how the blonde's cheeks lit up in in a bright red

¨WHAT?! NO NO NO, don't you dare, you are sounding like Jinx now!¨ The new student stood up and laughed, seeing Lux like that was something new and funny ¨Ezreal and I are nothing, ok? He is a good friend and I would worry if something happened to him because of our actions…¨

¨There you are again, thinking about him¨

¨AM NOT!¨ In between the laughs of Sophie, Lux groaned, she didn't liked being teased ¨Fine, you got your bit of fun but I guess it's time for both of us to part ways for today¨ The other girl nodded, still with a smile; before they walked away Lux held Soph's shoulder ¨Please, do me a favor, don't speak about this last topic to the rest of the team, not even Ezreal or anything. Promise?¨

¨We're friends… or at least in the early stage of friends, I promise¨ They both hugged and parted to their respective homes, tomorrow was a new day at the academy and the first day of a week that would change a lot of things in Sophie's life.

* * *

 **Indeed, next week in the story will be important, you'll see why. Sophie will bond with another character and Ren will have a hard time at the club. You'll see why.**

 **Man lots of things happened in two weeks, the new Eve, Worlds, Victorious Graves, but anyway, we'll see how it all goes.**

* * *

 **.Machine:** _Thanks for answering my question :), can't wait for next chapter._

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter ;)**

* * *

 **So I've been almost missing for two weeks, been trying to focus on Heroes & Legends and I got some words but still not enough to release a chapter.**

 **Before I forget remember:** **Discord dot gg / UpMHen3 I'm there, many authors and readers are there. Lots of fun and shitposting! You'll enjoy it.**

 **Announcements made, exam tomorrow and I go back to study. As always I love you all and... of course:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	10. Chapter 10

A new week started and classes continued as normal. Reginald and Ezreal were presented with a difficult situation. Talon offered them a spot on the athletics club and even though they wanted to join a better one, they had no other good options so in the end they accepted and waited for the first meeting of the club to happen. It was Monday and all club activities were forced to start on that day, as soon as the regular schedule of classes ended they would need to attend to the track course. However as they expected all of the periods were quite slow and boring, leading the two students to painful day.

After many hours and a recess, the two companions found themselves at the cafeteria during lunch time, however this time they were planning to stay away from Talon, Katarina and her gang. One of Ezreal's ideas was to meet another of his friends to expand Ren's circle of friends and despite the latter actually trying to avoid another possible incident the blond pushed him to give him another chance. This time they went to a different part of the cafeteria and sat on one of the empty tables, it was weird that this `meeting´ already started with the person missing.

¨I swear that if this ends up with another girl going insane…¨ Reginald commented, grabbing his fork and pointing it at his fellow student.

¨Relax, this guy has no connections to anyone that is crazy… well…¨ Ezreal took the water bottle from his tray and unscrewed the lid ¨He does know some people that _might_ not be sane but they won't bother us¨

¨Can you promise that?¨

¨Yeah sure I can promhmh¨ He finished the sentence by drinking from the bottle and looking away.

¨You can… what? I didn't hear you¨

¨I said thatipromise¨ This time Ezreal said the words in a quick succession, still not looking at Ren.

¨Hey Ez¨ Another person approached the table and sat in front of the two other students. He wore the gray jacket and the dark red pants along with a loose tie; his skin was dark and the hair white but what made Miles raise an eyebrow was that this new kid had a strange picture in his face, it was white as his hair but it had the shape of an hourglass ¨This is the guy you told me about?¨ He looked at the person he never met before and smiled ¨I'm Ekko¨

¨Reginald¨ They both stretched hands ¨Have to say… you already passed my first impression, unlike _last time_ ¨ He frowned and turned to the blond who remained silent; he had to look away to avoid the killer eyes from his new friend.

¨Last time? What happened?¨ Ekko looked back at the blond who sighed and shook his head.

¨Well… I told him the same: He needs to meet more people and expand his friendship circle… turns out that when I presented him to Talon, things didn't go as I originally planned, Katarina and the rest came and-¨

¨Oh, wait, say no more, I don't need to hear the end of the story¨ Ekko said jokingly, it wasn't the first time Ezreal made that kind of mistake, and even if that happened in the past he hasn't learned anything ¨So Ez told me you are new at the academy, quite an interesting first week you had here, right?¨

¨Oh what can I say? Met my classmates, got to know the place, the monsters, the Star Guardians¨ Ren nodded and stabbed one of the baby carrots from his plate ¨Seems pretty normal to me¨ Even though his tone was calm on the inside he really felt scared, the attack from that creature was terrifying with Sophie almost getting killed by it he wished that no more monsters would attack the academy again.

¨Well for us it is, thankfully the Star Guardians are always there to protect us¨ The white haired kid started to eat part of his meal, unlike Ez or Ren he ate quite fast ¨By the way, have you found a club yet?¨ His mouth was full and trying to understand what he said was difficult, after he digested he repeated the question.

¨Oh, uhm… yeah we did, we are on the athletics club¨ Ren answered and got a confused look from Ekko.

¨Wait… you got in?¨ He chuckled ¨You two are the luckiest people I ever met, you ended up in a decent club, the best ones were full the day that monster attacked¨ The white haired boy took a sip from his bottle ¨At least you got a good club¨

¨Ah, don't tell me you got unlucky¨ Ezreal asked as the last person who joined the table nodded ¨So what you got?¨

¨Let's say… I didn't have other option but to join the theatre club¨ immediately after he said that Ezreal almost choked with his food, he took a long drink and then started to laugh ¨Yeah keep laughing, I know you won't be able to run a lot like… you have chicken legs¨

¨That ain't true!

While both Ezreal and Ekko kept discussing, Ren pulled of his phone and looked at the chat history, there were some conversation from his friends from the previous school, one with Ezreal and the most recent one was with Sophie. There were two new messages from her so in this `dead time´ he wanted to talk to her.

 _`Where are u?´_

 _`Cafeteria, lunch with friends´_

Reginald's head looked up and around, there was no trace of the girl, however the entire place was big so he wouldn't be surprised if they were in opposite sides of the room.

 _`Can't see u, lol´_

 _`I'm with the lit. club. I can't see you either´_

This just caused some surprise to the boy; Sophie wasn't the type of girl who would be into reading many books, unless those that were mandatory by the institution, maybe she was also unlucky and had to join whatever club that didn't seem too bad.

 _`Meet up_ _at academy's gates after club hours?´_

 _`Yeah, see you there´_

After that message Ren just smiled and put the phone back on a pocket of his jacket, he then looked at the other two students who were still discussion about the club issues. He joined the conversation and the three of them talked until lunch time was over and everyone had to return to their classrooms.

* * *

Another two boring hours passed until the last bell at the academy rang, sadly not a lot of people left the academy since it was time for the clubs to start with their schedules. Both Ezreal and Reginald had the issue to walk to the track course which was outside of the `walls´; they just walked out of the classrooms and met up with Ekko who had classes on the room to the left. As they walked on the corridor the trio met another person that was near the staircase, it was the brown haired boy who offered an invitation to the athletics club to the scared boys from the last time.

¨Well well, trying to skip the first meeting of the club?¨ Talon commented and stepped in between Reginald and Ezreal, putting his arms around the necks of the two students ¨I'll be surprised if you were able to run away, you don't seem like the type of people who would get too far, nor the ones that have a lot of speed. Tell you what: You try to run to the gates and I'll try to catch you, yes?¨

¨What's your point Talon?¨ Ezreal frowned, trying to escape from the grasp from the member of the club.

¨Nothing really, just a warm-up for today¨

¨Uh guys…¨ Ekko said but no one paid attention to him.

¨Come on, we weren't going to escape, we just had the (bad) luck of meeting you right here¨ Ren tried to escape as well but the man was stronger ¨Can you please… let us… go?¨

¨Guys…¨ Ekko tried to get the attention of the other three, this time there was a female scream down the hallway that only a few people noticed, of course none of the members of the athletics club listened to it.

¨Oh I will, once we get to the course, until then you'll carry me there, see if you actually have strength in your shoulders¨ Talon said with a grin in his face and tried to push the other two members to move forward.

¨GUYS!¨ They now turned to Ekko ¨You heard that?¨ After that question they remained silent and were able to listen to the sound they ignored before.

The female scream was heard once again and a random student ran past everyone yelling about a monster. It didn't take long before the rest of the people in the hallway to scream since one of the weird creatures that attacked the academy last week appeared once again. Unlike the other ones that appeared this one was a different type of enemy; it had a slim and small body, the color was still dark purple. Unlike the other ones this seemed to be the closest to a human due to the legs and arms it had, however unlike actual arms the monster had scythes that glowed in a bright green, whenever it touched a wall a glowing green mark was left there.

¨Oh shi-¨

¨Remember, T rated!¨ Ekko interrupted Reginald as the four of them started to walk back, the monster was getting close but it wasn't running.

¨You wanted a warmup Talon? This is probably better than us¨ Ezreal tried to chuckle at his joke but it was eclipsed by his heartbeats almost deafening him.

¨Shut up and run!¨ The other member of the club shouted at them and they all turned to escape from the creature who jumped to their position, thankfully it missed all of the students who were escaping in fear.

Panic was spreading throughout the entire Runeterra Academy, all of the students running in fear towards the exit, some were already out but the huge horde was still inside. They thought that they could escape just like that but they all noticed that the ground shook by the main entrance. A huge hole opened on the grass and from there a gigantic hand emerged from it, then another until a big body that connected them both appeared; the head was small (in comparison to the rest) and glowed in the toxic green, it was the biggest monster everyone has seen but it didn't came alone. From the hole many small of the otherworldly entities came out and tried to seek out the nearby students, the initial reaction the horde did was to scream and run in the opposite direction in search of a new escape route since the main gate was blocked by the new enemy.

As they tried to run back to the building they found themselves cornered by many more of those small monsters along with two the ones with scythes and two that spitted the weird liquid off their mouths. This was completely different; a full-out attack that could mean the death of many students although they had hopes that their saviors would come.

¨I just hope Sophie is ok…¨ Reginald whispered, he was trapped in the middle of the crowd along with Ekko, Talon and Ezreal.

¨I actually hope the Star Guardians come…¨ Ezreal was the one who talked now, he tried to hold his ground since the students from the back were pushing as not to get attacked by big creature or the small ones that were by the gate.

Ezreal's words acted like prayers and the monsters in front of them were pushed away by a mysterious force. As everyone looked at the creatures flying away to the other side of this massive group, they all turned their heads back to the front and saw their saviors, although the team was not complete. Only four out of the five members were there: the two Yordles, the pink haired floating woman and the one with a crazy look and long ponytails.

¨Everyone, hide!¨ The armored Yordle yelled and the students followed the orders, seeking refugee but at the same time trying to have a good view of the fight, this also included Ahri who learnt her lesson from the last time and was trying to get as much footage from a safe distance, she seemed happy since this could net her a lot of views in her blog.

After everyone found a shelter from the upcoming combat, the fifth and last member of the team appeared. The pink haired leader stood in front of her group and gave instructions but the creatures didn't wait; the scythe monsters jumped and tried to attack the guardians but the flying girl used her shield to bubble the leader from the incoming, this gave the crazy girl the enough time to use her weapons to shot at the creature and push it away. Sadly none of the other enemies stood there watching, instead they followed with a big attack; the spitter used its acidic projectile to disperse the group while the other scythe creature went for the isolated targets, this along with the small thingies disorientated the Star Guardians.

Unfortunately for them the big monster also moved but before going towards them it swung one of its arms and destroyed the front gate, rendering it unusable as an escape route. As the guardians kept fighting the creature growled and used its strength to push all of the saviors against a wall, no shield or barrier protected them as this heavy hit did a lot of damage to them. Another growl and all of the enemies turned towards the downed Star Guardians who were slowly trying to get up; they were injured and trying to recover would take some time so instead of fighting some tried to avoid and lure them away from the people. However the leader's orders weren't as effective as they expected since the armored Yordle and the gun-guardian charged towards the horrible entities, only to get damaged and in the process hurting their companions as well.

Unlike the last time they were now gravely injured, half of the team was on the ground while the leader and the green-haired Yordle just stood up, despite their damaged bodies. Everyone looked in fear as their protectors were going to be defeated, who knows what would be their destiny after the Star Guardians were gone, probably not a good one.

However in this desperate moment a small glint of hope shone over the academy. The almost-defeated guardians were enveloped in a green light that made their wounds disappear. As they stood up the eyes of the students went from the combat to the opposite side where they found another person wearing a similar style of clothes to the other protectors. This girl had a moon-shaped staff and the flying animal that was resting on her shoulder didn't seem happy to see the fellow members of the team getting injured; the girl's look was accompanied by a white horn on her forehead, instead of legs she had hooves and a large and fluffy light-green hair. She was different; it gave calm and hope by just looking at her, but for the monsters it was a beacon that must be destroyed, an isolated target but it won't be easy, the other guardians were already ready to fight.

They were decided not to lose, and with their newest addition to the team they were certain of one thing:

They will protect Runeterra Academy and their students.

* * *

 **Wonder who this new guardian is, right people? LUL**

 **Well this had a fair bit of action, but the next one will have even more, especially since it will all be from Sophie's PoV! And yes, transformation time! We are also getting close to the end of the arc.**

 **What? Yes, the story will be divided into arcs and each arc will have an epilogue; chances are the next one will be last one from the first arc and trust me, I have plans for the next one, you just have to wait.**

 **Now time to promote this thing alright? Discord people!** **Discord dot gg / UpMHen3 you can the Fanfiction server and talk with many authors and readers, shitposting ensured as well as fun memes and nice talking. More people are join so why are you not there? :D**

 **No reviews this time so no need to add a line here but to say to everyone have a nice weeked and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	11. Chapter 11

¨…I hope you understand that exams are always right around the corner and it is important that you study every week. Also remember about the two projects that will have later in the year which I will inform about a month prior to them¨ Professor Fiora was explaining the details of what was coming for the rest of the year, two quarters of the class were already anxious to leave the classroom and run towards the cafeteria, another part was doing nothing but wait since they didn't mind lunchtime while a pretty small group composed out of three people were taking down notes of everything the professor was saying. The bell rang and Fiora just grunted ¨Well, you can leave now, see all of you on Wednesday¨ She ended up saying and sat behind her desk, arranging all of the papers she had and the folders with more stuff from the academy.

Most of the classroom was already moving outside, Sophie was part of the group that was still inside, making sure to put everything away before going for lunch. Behind her Taliyah was waiting for her friend while looking at her phone; on the other hand Jinx was doing her usual business: Sleeping in the middle of the class with a pair of fake glasses that tried to resemble her eyes, it was surprising that no professor caught her yet.

¨Ever since the monster attack the Star Guardian blog just seemed to die a bit¨ Taliyah commented, still scrolling through the different entries on Ahri's page ¨You're still on that girl's hate-list…¨

¨Yeah… don't need to remind me¨ Sophie rolled her eyes and put everything that was on top of her desk inside of the backpack, she even opened it enough for Shisa to fly inside of the bag; after everything was done she closed it, leaving no evidence of the familiar or any pen or paper that could be stolen ¨Come on, we should go to the cafeteria now, don't want to miss today's meal¨

The two students left the classroom and went with the flow of people who also wanted to leave this closed space. Going down the stairs was painfully slow and it took them quite a few minutes to get to the courtyard.

¨By the way, I forgot to ask: Have you managed to get into a club?¨ Just like what happened to Reginald, Taliyah had an issue when finding a club of her interest, most of the places she wanted to be were either full or not interested in her skills (Such as the fashion club led by Ahri) therefore the options offered to the tan-skinned girl were slowly closing.

¨I did! A friend of mine managed to get me into the geology club, not the first one I would've chosen but rocks and minerals are an interesting topic for me to talk about¨ Taliyah answered with a smile which caused Sophie to answer the same way, she was happy her friend got lucky ¨How about you? Do you think the literature club will be any interesting?¨ Sophie wasn't silent about her entry to this group, however she remained quiet about her new powers and the true identities of the members of said club.

¨I don't know… we'll be reading books and discussing them (as well as fighting against weird monsters from the Dark Star)¨ This last part was a thought, even if she told Taliyah about her powers and Shisa what were the chances from the student to believe her story? ¨I just applied to one of the list and they were the first ones to accept me¨

¨I mean… Lit Club is quite empty, plus they are very strict on who enters¨

¨What? Is there any requirement that I never heard about?¨ Even though it was meant for the Star Guardians to discuss their plans at the academy, the club had rules to the outsiders, all of them unknown to Sophie.

¨Well if they didn't tell you…¨ Soph shrugged, she had no idea of the actual purpose of the club for any of the students that weren't guardians ¨But from what I can see all of the members are girls that go from first to third grade, they don't have a rule on whether the person is a Yordle or human¨ The student sighed ¨I'm sorry to say this but I have no idea how you got picked¨

¨Maybe no one else tried to join? That's why it's so empty; maybe some people are not interested in literature¨ The newest guardian chuckled, her cover was still intact.

…

During lunchtime Sophie spent time with Taliyah as they talked about the weekend and how they will team up for the upcoming projects of the different classes, they had a calm table where they were only the two of them; however the surprise appearance of Lulu made the new student nervous, especially when Lux told her that the little girl shared her secret powers to another student but that person didn't seem to believe her. Sophie feared the Yordle might reveal once again the secret and Taliyah might believe the story.

¨Janna told me to tell you that today we have a meeting at the club, to sort things out and start with the activities and schedules¨ The purple haired girl pulled something from a pocket from her shirt and handed a piece of paper to Sophie ¨By the way, she told me to give you this¨

¨What is it?¨ The dark haired girl took the paper and looked the back and the front but there was nothing, it was folded so the message couldn't be seen unless she opened it.

¨I don't know¨ Lulu shrugged ¨Anyway, goodbye Sophie!¨ The Yordle waved to the two girls and turned as she skipped away until she was lost in between the people and the tables from the cafeteria.

¨B…ye?¨ Miller looked back at Taliyah who shrugged after having no idea what happened, she glanced at Sophie as she ate the meal. The guardian unfolded the paper and started to read the impeccable letter from Janna.

 _Sophie, make sure to be today at the club's classroom. We have to talk about the schedules as well as training sessions, it is important that even though we have to help you develop your powers we must follow the academy's rules and therefore pose as an actual club. Make sure to break down this letter and leave no evidence; please do remember that we have to keep our secrets so avoid telling this to your friend Reginald or even Taliyah who is sitting in front of you._

After reading that line Sophie just felt utterly confused if not scared, she raised her head and looked around, there was no sign of Janna or any of the other Star Guardians. How would she know Taliyah was sitting in front of her? How would she even know Taliyah was with her? She didn't wanted to take a wild guess, maybe it was one of Janna's powers from being a guardian, after all there hasn't been too much discussion on what were the abilities from each member. She took a bite of her meal and proceeded to continue with the rest.

 _Make sure to also bring your familiar, the last thing that you want is having Shisa lost somewhere, and most importantly someone finding out the creature while you are not there._

 _Meet you at the club._

 _Janna_

After the girl finished the letter she tore it down, making sure that the message couldn't be read, not even the name of the person who sent the message. Before she stood up to throw the paper something in Soph's pocket vibrated, it was her phone and noticed that there were new messages from Reginald.

¨What did the message said?¨ Taliyah asked, she saw her friend breaking up the letter and how she reacted before.

¨Mh?¨ After responding to Ren on the phone she just shook her head ¨Nothing, Janna told me that I should go today because she'll give me the schedules and all that. Nothing important¨ Their time on the cafeteria ran out fast, they kept talking until lunchtime was over and all of the students had to return to their classrooms.

The next two periods went super-fast; Sophie had a good time in those classes, especially after she learned a lot about chemistry and physics. As soon as the bell rang a lot of the students escaped the classroom just like when they did for lunch, it was surprising that Jinx was still asleep despite the loud voices from the rest of the class. Wasn't she going to attend to the club? Nevertheless, it would be suspicious if she helped the rebel to wake up or even do anything that was not malicious. After abandoning the room both her and Taliyah parted ways and went to different parts of the academy,

A few minutes of walking led Sophie to the door of the literature club; however when she tried to enter the girl noticed it was closed and none of the other guardians were there, also the amount of students in this hallway was pretty low, considering the amount of people that attended the institution.

¨Are they pulling a prank on me?¨ Miller whispered, leaning to check through the keyhole if there was anybody inside of the classroom but there was no one, not even a shadow.

¨This place is big, I'm pretty sure they could get lost¨ Shisa muttered its words inside of Sophie's bag, the familiar was able to open up the back and see if anybody was nearby.

¨You would think that after a year of studying in here they would know every hallway that this place has, it's not like a city or something…¨ The student turned her head to the left and saw the blonde leader coming in swiftly ¨There you are, I thought we had a meeting today¨

¨I know, I just tripped over on the way here¨ Lux was trying to recover some air ¨Where's the rest?¨

¨Beats me, Jinx was asleep on my classroom, the last time I saw Lulu was at the cafeteria and then had no idea where the rest was. Do all meetings happen like this? With the entire team missing?¨

¨Would you be surprised if I tell you yes? Or well, at least some of the times. Jinx is the one that is always missing, the rest just appear at different times…¨ Lux stood up, she managed to breathe again normally ¨At least you are here, which is good… now we gotta wait for the rest¨ Sophie noticed that Lux's movements were fast, she was either on a high dose of sugar or she was nervous, either way it was a good idea to ask what happened to her.

¨You seem quite active… more than normal. Are you ok?¨

¨Yeah… well… maybe…¨ The original Star Guardian tried to keep a straight face but she couldn't, a defeat sigh came out from her throat as she leaned by the wall and let the backpack fall on the ground ¨I can't… a year after the other girls joined I tried to lead them, do the right thing and trying to keep this group as something completely organized, I mean… we do get results and we win against the creatures from the Dark Star but some of the guardians barely follow my orders… I keep asking myself if I'm a good leader¨

¨You probably are, I only saw you fighting once, but if none of the other girls abandoned you then it means you are doing a good job. Besides, they won't do any Star Guardian duty alone or without you, right?¨

Before Lux could answer they felt as the ground shook and the screams of many students were heard. The two girls got closer to the nearest window and saw the immense creature that was emerging from the portal along with the smaller ones that were assisting this monster. From their position they also saw the rest of the team who were ready to fight.

¨I must go¨

¨You? _We_ need to help them¨ Sophie was not getting out of this ¨I am a Star Guardian as well, you want to be a good leader? Then let me help you¨ Shisa came out of her guardian's bag, since there were no students nearby there was no actual threat of being seen.

¨No, you haven't discovered your powers yet, you would die if you go out there and fight. It is better if you stay in here and help other students that are looking for safety¨ The blonde pulled a pen from her bag and immediately it turned into the staff that everyone saw when she becomes a guardian ¨Please stay here Sophie…¨

¨Sadly she is right… not only you haven't discovered your powers, I don't think you have the right will to fight and that just hinders my ability to create a crystal for you¨

¨What?! You too?!¨ The raven haired girl quickly turned to her familiar who had a sad look on its face, it was the first time she saw it ¨But… but…¨

¨You will have your time Sophie, but not today¨ Lux turned and sighed ¨Stay safe… please¨ She immediately ran towards the staircase and went around the corner, from there the newest member of the team saw a pink light illuminating that part until it disappeared. In mere seconds Lux was already on the courtyard with her companions.

¨This is unfair…¨ The eyes of Miller caught as the fight went on, the guardians were in a clear disadvantage and they weren't able to defeat the great monster, they had a lot of power but it wasn't enough ¨I want to help them…¨

¨It would be a suicide Sophie, you heard Lux, she is the leader after all¨

¨Yeah, but at what cost? My fellow guardians are going to die out there and I'm supposed to stay here and watch them collapse?!¨ Sophie's eyes were ignited with fury, she felt powerless at that moment, deep inside the student knew it was a stupid idea to go out there and defend the girls but she wanted to do something ¨I don't want them to die… I want to protect them… they… no… _we_ are the only hope for this academy…¨

The small lion saw that the guardian looked away, she started to sob ¨Sophie…¨ Shisa tried to get close but instead it had to back away, the human crying as she was powerless to do anything.

¨Is this what the First Star wants me to do? Do nothing while the rest dies? I don't want to be put aside. I want to help!¨ The loud noises from the young one were painful for the familiar, but instead of showing a sad look once again the thing just smiled ¨What?¨ Sophie's red eyes noticed that in between Shisa's hands a glowing orb appeared, this item floated from the lion's grasp to the student's hand ¨W-what is…¨

¨The First Star chose you because you have conviction, you don't want to hurt others, instead your desire is to protect those around you: friends, family, even those who might not be in good terms with you. That was the reason she chose you, giving others hope and life, the will to continue for another day. Embrace this power Sophie for it is yours alone¨

The girl wiped her tears and a smile formed once again in her face, it was her time. She closed her eyes and held the orb closer to her heart; she felt a warm sensation going around her body and how it felt lighter. Sophie's feet stopped touching the ground as she started to float, the raven haired extended her hands and allowed the power of the orb to take effect, she had almost no control over her body yet there was no fear going around her mind, only the thought of letting everything happen.

A weak green light enveloped Sophie turning her body into a flashing light; the girl felt how her body was changing, her clothes were dissipating and replaced with different ones that were lighter, the hair grew in size and become softer and twirled as it got to the bottom, not only that the color shifted from the dark tones to the same light green that surrounded her body. The changes from her body replaced her feet for a pair of hooves and in her forehead a white-greenish horn emerged. The crystal that was used to channel her powers was now in a necklace surrounding her throat; her hands and forearms were covered by soft white gloves and closer to the shoulder there were braces with a star-shaped gem on each. Her clothing was similar to most of the guardians: A sailor outfit that left her shoulders naked as well as a small skirt that covered the underwear, it had a mixture of white and blue colors and even though she had hooves the knee socks allowed the guardian to show part of the thighs.

The transformation was almost finished as a 6-point star appeared over the girl's chest as it hanged like a jewel and symbol of the Star Guardians, in her hand a crescent staff appeared with the same 4-point gem that were in the braces from the arms. From her lower back a pair of white wings emerged and allowed Sophie to stay in the air as she was slowly going down.

It was over, her first transformation was done and there was no doubt she felt a great surge of power going through her body. As she opened her now light-green eyes the student noticed her familiar in front of her, a look of satisfaction in Shisa's face that suddenly shifted to surprise, especially since Sophie was looking at her body.

¨WHAT IS THIS?!¨ Her eyes were moving between the staff, her clothes and the changes from her body ¨Are this… hooves? And is this…¨ Her hands went for the horn on the forehead, she tried to pull it off but without success ¨What am I?!¨ When trying to extend her arms the new guardian touched the soft texture of the wings, she tried to turn to find out what it was but it was useless since it didn't matter where she turned, the wings were going in the opposite directions ¨Am I human anymore? Because I am pretty sure I am not any kind of animal I've ever seen¨

´Does it matter now? Your fellow guardians are waiting for you, go help them, save the academy!¨ The orders from Shisa were clear, Miller nodded and ran as fast as she could; the weird sensation of moving with the hooves was completely different and it almost made the girl trip by the staircase.

As the newest member of the team left the hallway someone peeked from the corner ¨Mh…¨ The feminine shadow lurked and got closer to the window, from there she saw the student arriving at the courtyard, after whispering a few words and raising the staff the battle turned in favor of the Star Guardians since those that were heavily injured recovered. The real battle was about to start and the observer was just going to do that: See what this new girl will be capable of.

…

After healing her teammates, the monsters from the Dark Star were moving towards Sophie, decided to take the guardian down but when they decided to focus on the newcomer, they forgot about the other five who were rushing to the healer's aid. With the help of shields they were able to mitigate all of the damage from the creature's attacks and protect Sophie, they even forced them to stand back.

¨So this is Phie's guardian form… I like it¨ Said Jinx as she aimed her rocket launcher at the group of enemies that were on the opposite side of the courtyard.

¨I told you not to come here¨ Lux scolded the newcomer who shook her head in response.

¨I would've stayed up there if I couldn't do anything, but this is different, I found my true power… I **can** help¨

¨Then help us defeat this creatures, we are not going to do anything if we keep talking!¨ Poppy yelled and swung her hammer at the small monsters that were crashing against each other and disappearing while leaving a small trace of a dark green-purple liquid that could pass for blood.

The entire group of six made their advance, Janna and lulu shielded the armored Yordle who was their frontline, she was able to stop the counter-attack from the scythe monsters; during this process she got injured after not being able to predict all of the movements from the enemies but thanks to Sophie the warrior was able to stand back up and finish up with this wave.

It didn't take long before the small and medium sized creatures were eliminated, but the Big One was still remaining.

¨Listen up, we need to distract him and find a possible weakness. Any ideas where it might be?¨ Lux asked her entire team as they avoided the first dash that ended up in the destruction of one of the academy's walls, causing huge damage and leaving a lot of debris.

¨Aim for the head, that's where we should go first!¨ Sophie noted before the attack, surely it was a small spot but it was hiding whenever the creature wasn't yelling or looking at its surroundings.

¨No, look on the back!¨ Lulu pointed and she was right, there was a big purple eye that opened from time to time.

¨We have to distract him again and-¨

¨WATCH OUT!¨ Poppy screamed and everyone ran to a different side, unlike the list time the creature didn't hit anything or anything, but the eye opened once again ¨There it is, attack!¨

With the combined efforts of Lux and Jinx they were able to do some damage to the monster, making the `weak spot´ close and enraging the enemy ¨I am so… going to enjoy this¨ Jinx grinned and from her back appeared a pair of wings which she used to fly, with her rocket launcher the now redhead rebel tried to inflict some minor damages to the shell of the Big One but this didn't stop it from running against the other five guardians.

¨Everyone behind me!¨ Lux yelled and raised her baton; the weapon started to spin and a great surge of energy emanated from Lux and channeled to the object in front of her ¨By the light!¨ A transcendent sound from her voice came along with a laser that didn't do a lot of damage to the monster but it helped them blind the creature for a moment. This gave them the opportunity to strike down for a final strike as the eye opened again ¨Look at the weak spot, do it now!¨

Jinx positioned herself over the purple globe and aimed her rocket launcher at it ¨Shiro… Kuro… let this thing taste the true power of a Star-¨ But before she could even finish her sentence the minion of the Dark Star swung its arm behind and managed to hit the student that was floating.

¨JINX NO!¨ Sophie cried out and used her staff to channel a lot of energy, with that the guardian sent a healing wave to the marksman who was able to recover before touching the ground.

While the monster was still blinded, the rebel used this time to go ahead and re-position for another attack ¨This is how we Star Guardians do action!¨ And with that the girl pulled the trigger and an overly-sized missile came out of the barrel, going directly towards the eye and exploding on impact.

After everyone got blinded by this explosion all of the guardians grouped together. The smoke and fire from the projectile was slowly disappearing and once it was gone, so was the last monster alive. They won.

¨We… we did it?¨ The newest member asked confused, looking around but there were no more signs of enemies. Silence came first, but then a huge ovation came from the students who were starting to run in the direction of the their saviors ¨Oh my… I can't believe we made it!¨

¨You can celebrate later, not it's time to run and de-transform¨ Jinx grabbed Sophie by the arm and with her wings they flew away along with the rest of the team, the rebel was the last one since she was carrying extra weight that didn't knew how to fly just yet.

And so one of the toughest battles from the Star Guardians ended up in a victory, their new member got her first taste of combat as well as a small grasp of her power, however they all knew this wasn't going to be the end, the Dark Star was watching and it won't stop until all of the Star Guardians are eradicated.

* * *

 **And so it happened, the transformation, the first battle, and now there is someone who actually saw Sophie during the process, who was this woman? Everything will be clarified in the next chapter which will be the epilogue of Arc 1... so... yeah, this can easily consider as a somewhate end of the first arc but trust me, the next one is going to be interesting because not only the Dark Star will keep sending stuff to defeat the guardians but also new threats will appear...**

 **...but it is too early for me to spoil you, right? Just sit back and wait ;)**

* * *

 **Caravere:** _This is such a good story, oh my god, I can't believe this story is so good. Wow this is so good. Did I say this is good? Because this is pretty good. So good. Like the words, man they were good. Yup yup, pretty good._

 **NotLikeThis (Context: This was a 'troll' review from a friend on the discord server)**

* * *

 **You heard it right: Discord server!** **Discord dot gg / UpMHen3 don't forget to join for the fun and giggles.**

 **Well it is pretty early in the morning, got the chapter done around 1 AM but was way too tired to post it, now it's 8AM and as soon as I post this I'm going to Destiny and play some since I couldn't yesterday due to this chapter.**

 **Now it is my time to leave and go play some stuff, have a good weekend boys and girls and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter**


	12. Chapter 12

After the entire battle at the academy was over the students were ordered to return home so the authorities could deal with the entire situation. Even though everyone wanted to follow the Star Guardians they all flew away and disappeared on the horizon, no sign on where they went and no possible way to keep their pace.

Reginald, Ezreal, Ekko and Talon were all going together and even though none of them wanted to return home just yet, Ekko offered them to stay at his father's workshop for an hour. It was a twenty minute walk from the academy and after all the chatter on the events that happened that day their conversations would not change for a day or two, however from this group of four only Talon was the one who seemed angry.

As they arrived at the workshop Ekko allowed the rest to enter, they all greeted the father from the boy as they walked to the back of the shop. There was a small backyard with a round picnic table and on the inside they were a lot of tools, car parts and even other stuff such as a working refrigerator. As the kid went to pick up some drinks the rest where by the table, only Ren and Ez were sitting while Talon was just walking back and forth, grunting over what happened at the academy.

¨You should calm down Talon, we are lucky to be alive¨ Ezreal smiled, from the rest of the group the blond was the one who was the most calm while the brown haired man was the complete opposite, ready to punch someone.

¨Yeah, lucky but those…. _Things_ ruined the first day of the athletics club!¨ The student punched the table, his angry behavior startled Reginald who was not paying attention to the man's `tantrum´

¨Wait what? You rather die by the creatures if any day from the club gets cancelled?¨ Reginald was actually surprised, Talon was very dedicated to the club he was part of but he never expected him to react that way.

¨The academy itself is boring and I get happy whenever it's club day, now I ain't gonna let any space creature or wherever they come from to prevent me from having fun! Next time they show up I'll teach them a lesson¨

¨Woah there, easy!¨ Ekko barged in, putting all of the glass bottles in the table ¨The reason none of us have to fight the monsters is because we have the Star Guardians backing us up, without them the city would be destroyed¨

¨Yeah but you saw how they received quite the beating¨ Ezreal grabbed one of the bottles and handed the rest ¨Thankfully that new guardian appeared and turned the tides of the battle¨

¨We now have two Yordles, one girl with pointy ears and… a goat girl¨ The group turned to see Talon ¨Haven't you seen her ears? Or the big horn coming out of her forehead?¨

¨Also the hooves, but yeah, this Star Guardians are getting weirder and weirder¨ Ekko chuckled and raised his bottle ¨Clearly we are not best buds and there's nothing _big_ to celebrate, but here's for us who are still alive after surviving said attack¨ The other three raised their bottles of soda and all of them drank up ¨Say Ez… I saw you during the attack; you were concerned about the supposed leader of the guardians, although… your expression showed a bit more than that¨

¨What? Me?¨ He made a strange sound with his mouth and chuckled ¨I was concerned that the possible last line of defense against the monsters got defeated. I have no interest in the Star Guardians nor its leader¨

¨I wonder how Lux would react if she finds out you have a secondary crush on that leader¨ Reginald spoke up, making Ezreal blush while Ekko laughed, Talon on the other hand just smiled, trying to still sound annoyed ¨Now seriously: Who do you think the Star Guardians are?¨

¨Well all of them are girls, plus I do remember being young so maybe they are around our age?¨

¨Maybe they are students at the academy. We should do an investigation about this…¨ Reginald suggested after hearing the initial thoughts from Talon. Ezreal was on board with this idea but the other two weren't so sure ¨Come on, how hard can it be?¨

¨Well they just fly away and that's it, unless you have a way to follow them…¨

The new student sighed ¨Just wait and see, something will happen and we will probably find out who the Star Guardians are… I think¨

* * *

 _Where are you now?_

 _At home, resting. U ok?_

 _Yeah, looking at the news. Crazy day. Glad you got home safe_

 _Same. Going back to bed, talk you later!_

Sophie turned off the screen from her phone and put it in one of the pockets from the backpack. She lied to Taliyah, she wasn't at her home, instead the entire team of the Star Guardians were at the park, looking at the sun and the little people that were there having fun. On the one hand the two Yordles were with Jinx by an ice cream stand, fighting for which flavor they wanted; the other three were near a bench, staring silently at their surroundings or nothing in particular.

¨To think we were close to defeat…¨ Lux rambled, she hunched in the bench, looking at the water and thinking on the battle that happened that day.

¨We should be thankful Sophie came to our aid, her awakening was useful, healing our wounds and keeping us in the fight¨ Janna placed a hand on the leader's shoulder as they looked at the raven haired girl ¨Maybe the First Star sent her because we needed a new member in our team¨

¨Maybe…¨ Lux then looked at the other three girls who were slowly coming back. There were almost no tactics, no planning or anything for the battle; the heartbeats from the blonde girl were abnormal as she feared one of her fellow guardians would've died ¨But still…¨

¨I can't believe we won that¨ Sophie turned to face the rest of the team, the three newcomers were already eating an ice-cream and while Lulu was enjoying hers, both Poppy and Jinx were discussion on how a four bowl one could be bad for the rebel's health ¨Was it always like that? Fighting the big monsters and such?¨

¨Not really¨ Lulu said in between the licks ¨This was the first time we fought such a big force, and even the Big One, that was the first time we've seen it¨

¨Big One? Is that the name you gave to it?¨ The purple haired student nodded as she kept going with her treat.

¨It should be something like big monster of death and destruction and doom!¨

¨Yeah that's not how it works¨ Poppy's comment over the name Jinx gave was a buzzkiller for the rebel who kept discussing with her.

¨So… what now? Will this be the last time we saw those creatures?¨ Sophie asked, after the first fight she felt tired, everyone did but considering this was the girl's first time it wouldn't be a surprise she felt her body begging for rest.

¨Definitely not, if anything this could be just the tip of the iceberg. The Dark Star sent a force that reached a peak, or probably a point that we were almost defeated. He knows how strong we are and will try to exploit that until we actually go down¨ Lux stood up from the bench and faced everyone ¨We have to get better, stronger and more tactical. If the Dark Star wants to defeat us then it will have to put some effort because we are not going down that easily! We have to prepare strategies, tactics, formations, methods to-¨

¨Blah blah blah we are doing good with the `attack anything that tries to kill us´ tactic, so I won't change it¨ Jinx made quite the comment as she interrupted Lux.

¨But… but…¨

¨Besides…¨ The rebel went to the side of the newest member and put her arm around her, the ice-cream was dripping on the girl's shoulder ¨We have 'Phie who will heal us whenever we are injured¨

¨Not like we already have two healers in the team…¨ The white haired Yordle pointed at Janna who frowned at not being mentioned by Jinx.

¨Yeah but Janna is getting old, she probably needs some earphones or a wheelchair¨

¨I TOLD YOU I'M NOT-¨The oldest member closed her eyes and breathed in before talking once again ¨I am just as young as you Jinx, my hearing abilities or anything else haven't changed, even if I'm thousand years old¨

¨Everyone listen!¨ Lux got once again the attention of the rest of the team ¨Just… if we are going to do this we have to do it properly, safe and without unnecessary risks, ok?¨ Everyone nodded ¨Good, now this meeting is over… Except you Sophie, I want to talk to you¨ Everyone left except for the leader and the last member who were once again sitting on the bench ¨You went against my order¨

¨I had to go and save all of you¨

¨I am the leader, you _should_ follow my orders¨

¨If I followed your orders then the entire team would be in a hospital bed, or worse!¨

There was silence between the two girls, it was a tense moment but a smile on Lux's lips confused Miller ¨Thank you… but now I have to look over another member in this uncontrollable group¨

¨Don't worry, I will follow your orders, plus I can see the rest of the team following you… except for Jinx that is¨

¨I will deal with Jinx… don't worry about that¨ Lux looked up at the sky, some stars were already appearing ¨The First Star sent you to help us… maybe you will be the one I need to make this team work properly?´

¨I don't know… but I will help you nonetheless¨

¨Thank you Sophie¨ The two guardians stayed there until the light of the sun was slowly disappearing, after that they returned to their homes to have a deserved rest.

* * *

The doors to the basement opened, the two girls walked down the creaking stairs as one of them turned on the light. It was a small and cluttered place, with many boxes and objects from past years that didn't allow much movement.

¨Ok can you please tell me what's on your mind Kat?¨ Riven asked, but before the red-haired woman could say anything she pointed at the door for her friend to close. After following that order the taller girl got closer to the owner of the house ¨Are you going to tell me what's going on? Why do we have to be here rather than upstairs?¨

¨Because I don't want Cass or my mother to find about this. If I tell you something right here it's because no one else must know, what I'm going to tell you stays between us, no one else has to find out. You promise?¨ Katarina frowned, she was quite mysterious during his talk and the other student was mostly confused, she never saw Katarina this way, not even when she told her about his boyfriend on the basketball team.

¨You know we are friends, I trust you and you trust me, no one will know what happened here¨

¨Good… so the first thing I want to tell you is about the Star Guardians and-¨

¨Come on Kat, ever since Garen brought up that topic once you have been fixated on them, can't you just drop it?¨

¨The leader of the guardians is Lux and one of the new students is also a guardian¨ Riven was speechless, she couldn't even imagine the sweet sibling of Garen fighting against monsters, much less the ones that appeared this day.

¨H-how do you know? You got any proof of it?¨

¨I saw them talking about it, plus the new student, the one with the horn or something, I saw her transforming. Wish I took a picture but my phone ran out of battery¨

¨Ok, let's just say you are right. What? You going to bring up that topic the next time you are invited to that house?¨

¨No, chances are they won't believe me and Lux will probably deny any claim¨ Katarina seemed off, she wanted to reveal the identity of the Star Guardians to the world, even though that was Ahri's job with her blog ¨But that is not the most important thing I want to talk to you, I found something and it has to do with the old book from my father´

¨The one about star power or some stuff?¨ The student nodded ¨What's with it?¨

¨Marcus was a complete mystery, but I know why, he had knowledge of something that was far from our world, something that was related to the Star Guardians or even more¨

¨So?¨

¨So… I was looking for some stuff here in the basement last night and I found this¨ Katarina moved a few boxes and freed up some space on the wall they had in front ¨Looks like a regular brick wall, correct? But when I push this little thing over here…¨ The redhead pushed one of the red blocks in the wall all of the others started to move, creating a small way for the two girls to go through.

¨Your father was surely a mysterious man…¨

As the two of them entered into this larger room, Katarina flipped a switch and the entire place lit up; it was a laboratory with a lot of weird machines with tubes, metals and wires connected to each other. Once Riven was inside the redhead pulled a lever and the brick wall closed, concealing the lab to any outsiders.

¨So when I found this place I noticed a few stuff from the book, how it was all connected to the `star power´, it was weird but dad put some easy instructions to be used¨

¨So you could use it?¨

¨Marcus was an intelligent person, but he had some memory issues from time to time¨ Katarina shook her head ¨Nevertheless, the notes said that the monsters the Star Guardians destroy are a big source of power, they can be used to channel a stronger force that could turn a human into something more powerful¨

¨Such as?¨

¨Beats me, but the last notes on the book also said about not being able to use this force¨ The student turned her head and saw a floating sphere ¨I think you should try it¨

¨Me?! Why me?!¨

¨Why not? We are friends, and like you said before we trust each other¨

¨Yeah but that doesn't mean I will step into some unknown power just because¨ Riven crossed her arms and frowned ¨Want me to do it? Then you will have to do it with me¨

¨So that's the deal… well, fine¨ The two girls got closer to the strange sphere ¨Here goes nothing¨ The two students touched the object and at first they didn't feel anything, they looked at each other but they shrugged since nothing was going on ¨Maybe Marcus was crazy after all…¨ When Kat tried to remove her hand she noticed that it was impossible ¨What the-¨ She tried to pull it but some strange force was not allowing her to step back; Riven was trying to do the same but with no avail since she was also stuck.

After a few seconds the sphere lit up, creating yellow lines around the surface which then later were advancing on the girls' arms and then to the rest of the body. They tried to scream but nothing came out of their mouths. In a final attempt to escape a weird force pushed them against different corners of the lab, crashing against the different machines and boxes that were there.

¨Mh… you okay Riven?¨ Katarina slowly stood up, looking at how part of the laboratory got destroyed.

¨I'm still alive… if that counts¨ Riven also stood up and walked to the light.

When they were both under the lamp they looked at each other, surprised of what they were seeing because ¨You!¨ They both said at the same time as they pointed their fingers at the other.

They were wearing different clothes, their appearances also changed. Katarina had some sort of a black sports bra that reached to her neck and it also connected to a dark cape; she had shorts and long socks, both of them almost tied together and with the same color as the bra, she also wore dark gloves that almost reached her shoulders. One of the most particular things she noticed was that she had many tattoos, one in each shoulder and another one in the belly; her hair also grew in size and it was tied with a dark ribbon. From the tattoos she had she also noticed the design her leggings and cape had, it was like a dark sun with its lines stretching as if they were vines.

Riven on the other hand had a similar outfit, a sports bra that got to her neck and with the sun symbol on her chest, she had gloves but just to the wrists, Riven also wore shorts with leggings that had the strange pattern. Her hair was tied and had some black strands along the white ones from her original hair. Unlike Katarina she didn't have too many tattoos but was more muscular, showing some of her abs.

¨You… what happened to us?!¨ Katarina looked at her hands, there was no possible explanation to this, but there was another thought going around her mind: She was feeling powerful, a strange aura of strength went around her veins ¨This… this is something¨

¨I feel stronger…¨ Riven looked at the Du Couteau girl ¨Is this what your father was investigating?¨

¨Well he did say some star power…¨ The green eyes from the student went directly to the sphere ¨The monsters the guardians were fighting against have some power that can turn us into… more powerful people¨ She then eyed her friend with a grim smile ¨I think I have an idea… you in¨

¨We are friends… of course I am in¨

 **End of Arc I**

* * *

 **So we found out that Katarina was the one who was spying on Soph and Lux, unfortunately for the Star Guardians someone else is gonna be on the picture and by the looks of it, it's not going to be just smiles and happiness. But that's for the next arc, am I right? Bad things will happen and many people will be after the Star Guardians, not only the Dark Star.**

* * *

 **Ryder Van Rose:** _Fijo que el personaje que la vio es una de las más populares de las skin star guardian ¿Quien sino? Tiene que hacer sus cosas cliche por q la temática es así supongo?_

 _Espero que cuando sigas hablando de Ahri comprendas que la zorra no se preocupa de odiar a la gente, sino que los ignora por completo, así es cómo son esos tipos de personaje. Y cuidado, que es algo peligrosa cuando deja el disfraz- véase parte final del lore nuevo de star guardian- y Syndra es un culo también, esas dos juntas realmente andan metiendo trama a la temática y se diferencian demasiado de las niñitas q son lux y jinx. Me pregunto que traerán los próximos star guardian en la sgte entrega de riot, se lo están tomando enserio por una vez._  
 _pd: no te respetan como mod en discord e.e_

 **Translation:** _I suppose the character that saw them was one of the most populars of the Star Guardian skin, who else? It has it's cliche stuff because that's how the theme goes?_

 _I hope that when you keep talking about Ahri you understand that the fox does not worry about hating people, but she ignores them completely, that's how it is with this kind of characters. And be careful, she can be dangerous if she drops her costume (Look up the last part of the new Star Guardian story) and Syndra is an ass as well, those two together really add more plot to the theme and they are quite different from the likes of Lux and Jinx. I do wonder what will the next Star Guardians be, Riot is taking it seriously for once._

 _P.S: They do not respect you as a mod on discord e.e_

 **Well, considering we talked about this on private, I gotta say both Ahri and Syndra have already plans in my story, only they will come later. Yes, the new team is far more superior in terms of tactics and fighting unlike the 'Burning Bright' team but let's see if Lux can put the things under control.**

 **Also, they will respect me as a mod on discord now lul.**

* * *

 **Yes talking about Discord, there's a new fanfiction server that you can join discord dot gg / eR8n7wW hope you join and have some fun and giggles there!**

 **Well then first arc is done and the next one will start in the next chapter (hurr) however I'm taking some time from writing, Will be back probably writing the first chapter of the new arc and then a chapter of Heroes and Legends.**

 **But until then folks, I'm out but as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Arc II**

 **A different kind of enemy**

* * *

After the big monster attack the academy was shut down for maintenance, the directives claimed that they needed three weeks at most to have everything repaired so classes could start once again. During this period the professors gave some homework to all of the students so everyone would be occupied and not be wasting their time with this `mini vacation´. With or without homework, the amount of young kids moving around the city was still huge and everyone spent their free time going to the park, the arcade or even the local pool since the heat-wave was strong and would last for at least one more month.

One of the most curious facts was that ever since the creatures attacked the academy no other minion from the Dark Star appeared, still this gave the guardians some time to catch a breath and train the newest member. It was rough but Sophie managed to learn a few tricks along with the team, even though that meant trying to work harder with Jinx as teammates since she was even more of an annoyance since her first transformation.

It has been three weeks ever since and the last Sunday before they had to return to class. The last member of the guardians was still trying to develop some confidence in the rest of the team but outside of training they were mostly occupied with homework or just any other activities (Or in Jinx's case she was literally doing nothing) so Soph had to go for the only member she knew more about: Lux.

After spending part of the day with Taliyah, Miller went to usual spot by the games at the park. As she got there the dark haired girl found herself with the leader of the team which was on one of the swings. Sophie sat at the other one as they both looked at the soon-to-be darkened sky, this was their favorite time to meet in this place.

¨It's like starting anew¨ Lux muttered, not even turning to see her friend.

¨Excuse me?¨

¨The academy, we came from a long vacation and now we had this… only the cause was completely different and we were involved in it¨

¨Doesn't mean we are the ones who destroyed the academy or anything. We did the right thing, we saved the students and defeated the monsters¨ The student started to go back and forth in her swing ¨Plus everyone seems grateful for it¨

¨Even more now since there's a new person in the team. I saw many comments on Ahri's blog about you, or well, the girl with floppy ears¨ Lux chuckled, pulling her phone and taking a look at the webpage ¨Here it is: `The new member is so cute I want to hug her´ `Her hair is so fluffy´ `She is a cinnamon roll and we must protect her´ People seem to have a good first impression of you¨

¨But we are not fighting or doing this kind of stuff just for fame, right?¨ Soph stopped the swing by using her feet as brakes, as she stopped the girl looked at Lux who was still on her phone.

¨Definitely not, as much as how fun it might be, fame can sometimes be a problem, more people tailing us could also mean that if we make a mistake everyone will know our identities, and therefore the Dark Star will too¨ The leader put down her phone and turned to see her friend ¨I just hope the rest of the team were like you, a good friendship, a loyal member who also listens to their leader's orders¨ With a sigh of defeat the blonde looked down ¨I wish this could be easy¨

¨I take that you tried with everyone… even Jinx¨ At that moment the healer remembered something from a past conversation with the other guardian ¨You said Jinx was a friend from childhood, right?¨ Lux nodded ¨How is it that she doesn't listen to you?¨

¨It's been few years now but I still believe Jinx is mad when my parents moved me to the academy. We made that promise that we won't stop talking, even if we were far away, sadly that kind of promise is very hard to accomplish since many things happened in between. For one exams had me busy and took most of my time, then I became a Star Guardian and when I wasn't studying I spent the day training or fighting creatures¨

¨So you eventually stopped seeing Jinx?¨

¨Seeing, talking, anything from her. She was mad at me for breaking the promise and eventually she disappeared for a year. When I first saw her again was during an attack from the Dark Star, Jinx appeared with the other three and helped me defeat the creatures; the three girls agreed to help me but Jinx just left, even when _I_ needed her¨ Lux seemed down at this last words and she just eyed at the ground ¨A week later when classes started everyone was there, even Jinx. It took us quite a while to start talking again, but I knew that she wanted to come back when she appeared out of nowhere to help us against a monster, that grin of hers…¨

¨Were you able to fix everything after that?¨

¨No entirely, we are friends once again, but as a Star Guardian she is still hard to control, you probably saw her during the training…¨ The leader looked up at Sophie with a smile on her face ¨You probably won't know it, but talking to you about this is good for me, it lets me release the tension and… all this stress that I just can't seem to get out¨

¨We're friends, you know you can trust me¨ Miller stood up and looked at the pond ¨I'm sure you'll become a great leader and even Jinx will follow your orders¨

¨You think?¨ Lux also stood up and received a quick hug from the black haired ¨Yeah, I will have to improve eventually, that's the role of a leader, right?¨ Before they could continue their talk, the two girls heard someone screaming and went to investigate what happened. Unfortunately what seemed like a three-week vacation for the Star Guardians it ended up with a scythe monster appearing and chasing a young couple around the park. ¨So much for peace…¨ The blonde grabbed a pen from her shirt's pocket and it turned into the characteristic staff from the guardian; Sophie on the other hand grabbed the necklace she was wearing and after it made a dim glow it turned into the gem she used to transform.

After finding a good hiding spot and making sure no one was looking at them the students transformed into their Star Guardian forms in order to stop the evil creature from hurting the two innocent that were nearby.

As they were moving in, Shisa appeared near Sophie and looked at the scythe monster ¨Mh, seems that the Dark Star returned from vacations as well¨ The familiar also noticed the couple running away ¨We must hurry, the minion is moving faster!¨

The chase ended when the couple got blocked by the same monster who made a huge jump and landed in front of them. Fortunately the guardians were able to get close before any of the innocent got injured.

¨We got this, go!¨ Lux shouted at the other two people as they ran away leaving the Dark Star minion along with the two guardians ¨Alright creature, your path ends here, in the name of the First Star we will strike you down!¨

¨Do we really need to do this?¨ Soph looked at Lux who was making a pose at the monster.

¨We are fighting in the name of the First Star, of course we have to do this¨ The leader lowered her guard and turned to the light-green haired girl.

¨No I mean how you said that before and the pose. Is that **really** necessary?¨

¨I… I guess not but… but it does make quite the impression when fighting them. It's like a way to send a message to the Dark Star and such¨

¨SOPHIE WATCH OUT!¨ Shisa shouted at her guardian.

The monster lunged forward but the two girls were able to avoid the attack. They tried to keep the distance with the minion who was mostly focused on the pink haired mage; for every step forward the monster did Lux just gave a step back.

¨Ok I think I have an idea to defeat it¨

¨I'm listening¨

¨Try to silence him, I will then trap him and cast a spell to defeat him, if that doesn't work try to attack as well. Just like training¨

¨Yeah but this time we are against an actual threat¨

¨You faced worse… Alright, ready?¨ Sophie nodded at the leader's question ¨Ok, one… two-¨ Lux couldn't even say three before the monster got crushed by someone. A slim figure landed on the body of the creature and stabbed the head of it, killing it instantly ¨W-what?¨

The person on top of the scythe creature looked at the two guardians and grinned ¨And I thought my day wouldn't get any better…¨ The red haired woman eyed Sophie and then Lux ¨Took one of the star monsters alone and I find myself with my two favorite guardians¨

¨Star monsters? That's a stupid name¨ Shisa muttered, sitting on its familiar's shoulder.

¨Who are you?¨ Lux gave a step forward and looked at the entire clothing of the girl ¨Are you a Star Guardian too?¨

¨Oh please¨ Katarina chuckled ¨I am not like you with those… bright…colored outfits and your weak tactics and powers¨

¨What did you say?¨ Sophie frowned and held the staff tighter.

¨That I'm not a Star Guardian, but I am something far more powerful and effective¨

¨Effective? You did the same thing as us, you defeated a minion of the Dark Star¨

¨Dark Star? So that's an interesting name…¨ The anti-Star Guardian leaned forward ¨There's a big difference between you and me: For one, you make the monsters disappear and that's it. We on the other hand…¨ Her lips curled into a smile as she twisted one of the blades. Dark cosmic energy flowed from the head of the creature to the blades and then to Katarina's arms which ended up on the sun-like emblem in her chest that shone with a grim light. The monster started to fade and the evil grin just showed once again; it was a strange feeling for the two guardians but they noticed as if this woman just became stronger by absorbing the now deceased creature ¨We not only make them disappear, but turn them into something more useful¨

¨More useful? You use them as fuel for your powers!¨ Lux roared ¨That is not the true path of a Star Guardian¨

¨Should I remind you that I am not a Star Guardian?¨

¨We don't want to fight you, but I'm sure we could be allies if you changed your methods…¨ Sophie tried to calm down the situation, Lux was ready to strike and they were uncertain of what the girl would be able to do, she just absorbed the creature, for all they know she could also take their powers.

¨You are weak because you don't take the opportunities that could make you strong. Is it fear of the unknown? Or you don't want to see yourselves as more powerful people?¨ Katarina's taunt just made Lux frown as she casted a spell to capture the woman but she just jumped and avoided the magic. Instead the redhead used her daggers to make a small cut in both guardian's cheeks, just a small one since almost no blood came out of it. This assassin stood in the railing of the bridge above the pond and looked at the two other girls ¨Trust me, this won't be the last time we'll be seeing each other, however I suggest you to step aside; this city doesn't need weak defenders, it needs a strong team who can stand up against the most powerful creatures without even breaking a sweat. Good night and I'll see you tomorrow at the academy¨ With that she turned once again and started to jump into the different surfaces so gain speed until she disappeared from the guardians' sight.

¨See you tomorrow?¨

¨Lux… how bad is this?¨ Sophie eyed at the leader who was touching the wound in her cheek ¨How bad is that someone else has powers?¨

¨I don't know… but if anything, this fight just showed us that we are not the only ones after the Dark Star, however _they_ seem to have darker intentions¨ The pink haired shook her head ¨We'll inform this to the rest of the team at the club. Also… if she is going to see us at the academy… does that mean she also knows our identities?¨

¨This is bad… we need to solve this mystery¨ The lion-familiar put its tiny hand on its chin ¨Who could it be?¨

¨We should be careful, anyone could be our enemy now, they might be closer than expected if they know who we are¨ Sophie said as she turned back to normal ¨Time to split up, night is coming and I don't want to face any more surprises today¨

¨Same… goodnight Soph and uh… be careful, ok?¨ The two girls gave each other a hug before they left the park. Today was a rollercoaster of emotions for the new member, but it certainly would be even more of a ride now that the team has a mystery on their hands.

* * *

 **Time for the girls to find out who this new team of anti-star guardians is. Even though you already know who the two founding members are.**

 **There's no doubt Sophie will have a hard time fighting them but the guardians will also have to be very careful as more people will try to chase the team and uncover their identities, this includes Ren who will be in quite the predicament in the next chapter and through the entire arc. From now on everything will get more complicated as the guardians will be facing numerous threats and Ren will have to keep his ass in the academy for what he's going to do.**

* * *

 **No reviews but this doesn't mean I can't post this: discord dot gg / eR8n7wW that's right the server is back and it's open for everyone! You can have fun since there are a lot of people and many writers that you would probably know.**

 **Time for me to lay back and rest, but yes, you know how it goes since I won't be able to forget this part.**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	14. Chapter 14

After the three week `break´ the academy was running once again. All of its students were already on the way but as they arrived they noticed that some parts were still under construction and just like in the first day there was a small staged already built in the center of the courtyard. Some professors were already on top of it with a new face that none of the students saw during the first day.

It was no surprise that the attack from the big monster caused a lot of wreck to the academy and it was even more of a surprise to no one got hurt; sadly on the third week everyone received the message that the principal was not able to survive said attack and therefore the personnel had to find a replacement for him; thankfully a new one showed up and the professors were going to introduce him. After everyone was already in front of the stage the personnel started to talk.

¨Attention everyone!¨ Yelled Miss Laurent on the microphone, her voice resonating through all of the speakers ¨To those who probably don't know we are gravely sorry about what happened to the old principal but we are also happy to announce that Theodore R will be the new head of this academy so if you have any questions or want to talk to him you can go to his office. Now for some inspirational words I'll leave you with Mr. R¨

The man stood up from his chair and got closer to the microphone stand. It was an old man but with a shaved face, his hair was dark like the night despite its age but what made every student nervous was how his eyes were inspecting everyone's souls, as if they were cattle or something miserable ¨Welcome back to the academy, now go to class.¨ His deep yet menacing voice was more than enough to keep the crowd silent as he walked away; after a few minutes they all went to the different classrooms, still confused to the introduction from their new principal.

Ezreal and Reginald had no words towards the new head of the academy; he scared them out and wished not to visit his office ever. They kept talking about how they wasted their 3-week break but their topic changed as soon as they entered the classroom and saw a lot of tables, more than usual. As the students sat on their seats professor Ryze arrived with a lot more students following him, he instructed the younglings to pick a seat as he went for his desk.

¨Listen up students, since some parts of the academy are still not in a reasonable condition for students we'll have to share our classroom with another group. I know the space is quite limited but do understand that all repairs will be done in a span of two weeks¨

After all of the students from the other group found their respective seats the class started, although it was hard for the professor to control it. Both Ezreal and Reginald were commenting on it but never noticed that the person that was at the right of the blond was their partner from the athletics club, Talon.

¨Guess you are trapped with us now, eh?¨ Ez whispered as he smiled, but the dark haired man was not even amused.

¨Shut up¨ Talon tried to end any possible conversation, he opened his book tried to ignore both the teacher and the other two members of the club who were smiling at the boy's presence. He eyed at them both and frowned ¨What's so funny?¨

¨You are in the same class as us¨ Ren grinned and tried not to chuckle ¨Part of class, part of the crew¨

¨You're lucky we are in the same club and class now, else I would kick your asses¨

¨As if we would be afraid¨ Ezreal nudged at his companion ¨Come on Tal, we don't have to be hostile, after all I doubt you'd like to be in the office of that new principal¨

¨Funnily enough I do¨ The other two students raised a brow ¨So you are not afraid if I kick your asses, how about we raise the stakes a bit?¨

¨What do you have in plan?¨

¨Well… the new principal, I know for certain he doesn't look like the friendly type and I can assure you, from what I've heard, he is a man with a lot of secrets. And secrets well-kept are often worth sharing¨ Talon leaned back as he slightly stretched his arms to the front ¨And I'm pretty sure someone is willing to pay good money for those secrets¨

¨Woah woah woah, you saying we should get into his office and find out his secrets?¨

¨Come on Ezzy… after all you said you two weren't afraid¨ The student looked at Ren ¨How about you? Are you fearless?¨

¨I mean I don't mind visiting the office once but… you saw him, he seems to like children¨

¨Well, do whatever you please, but if you think you are brave enough for this mission, meet me in front of the academy at 6 PM and we'll talk there¨

They weren't sure what to think of that, it was a challenge but how brilliant was the reasoning behind it? Talon talked about going into the office and search for some `secrets´ but that meant going into the principal's place when he wasn't there, if they get caught then the consequences would be severe, getting expelled was probably the first one of the list. Yet if they declined they wouldn't get to hear the ending on how Talon would treat them as chickens and probably the rest of the academy would also hear that rumor.

…

The two students were waiting outside, looking at the tall walls of this educational fortress, Talon wasn't there yet so they thought they could leave, unfortunately by the time they decided to bail they saw his club partner on the distance.

¨I'm surprised¨ Talon grinned and clapped ¨You truly are the _brave_ people I saw this morning¨

¨Can we just get over it? The faster we finish this, the sooner we'll get to our homes¨ Ren suggested and the blond student nodded.

The academy held classes even at those hours, however those who assisted at the night classes were around the ages of 20 to 25, the amount of personnel during the night shift was reduced due to an even less amount of students attending, however some guards were still there and the construction workers were also there, hoping to finish their job as soon as possible.

Since most of the academy was open the three students were able to sneak in through the corridors and the empty classrooms, avoiding any professors that were there until they arrived to their target: The principal's office.

¨Is it me or this was easy?¨ Ezreal asked, looked at both sides of the corridor, still no signs of anybody else.

Talon tried to open the door but to his surprise it was locked, he grunted and looked at the blond ¨You had to jinx it, didn't you?¨ To which Ez shrugged in response.

¨Shhh¨ Ren hushed the both of them before they could start an argument that could reveal their position ¨Someone is coming¨ immediately the trio heard someone walking nearby and in order not to get caught they hid in the nearest empty classroom.

Once inside and with all the lights turned off away from any windows that could reveal their position. After the threat was gone they relaxed for a bit, they knew whoever was out there would come again so this was their time to escape, unfortunately Talon found something when he leaned from one of the windows that led to the streets he saw that the one from the principal's office was open.

¨What are you looking at?¨

¨Our entry point…¨ He turned to see the other two students, after inspecting them he grinned at Ren ¨You'll be our spy this time¨

¨What? Why me?!¨

¨Yeah, why him? You seem more capable than Reginald?¨ His friend frowned after that accusation ¨Sorry, but it's true¨

¨We need someone to climb onto the tree that is behind me and walk on the branches and jump into the office. Get the secrets we are after then get out, simple¨

¨Yeah and then if I get caught I will be sent into jail plus getting expelled¨ The brown haired boy crossed his arms and frowned once again ¨You go there¨

¨Fine, but if you end up caught here then I'll just bail out, secrets or not¨ Talon's face looked away, he dropped the bait and waited until one of them actually decided to step up. Fortunately for him his original target picked it up.

¨Fine…¨ Ren grunted and got closer to the window, he looked at the branches from the tree and then the other window ¨You sure the tree will hold?¨

¨Worst case scenario you fall in the bushes, probably some pain, but that would be nothing compared to what we are going to do in the club later in the year¨

¨What have I gotten myself into?¨ After Talon stepped back, Ren tried to keep balance on the first branch, moving slowly until he got to the trunk and hugged it so he wouldn't fall ¨Ok… slow and steady… slow and steady…¨ Miles let go of the main stem and kept moving in the direction of the window.

It didn't take long until he was able to get inside; the office was big and it had three doors, one of them leading to the hallway while the second one to a small bathroom, the third one however was half open and had a light inside but there was no sign of the principal there. As soon as Ren tried to open the main door he found himself that it was locked and there was no way to open it up from his side; he had to do the work all by himself so the first thing that went into his mind was exploring the desk that was there. It had nothing, just a few papers that needed the principal's signature and were mostly about some meetings with professors and other subjects, a few books math, biology and even geography; other than that there wasn't any interesting item. It looked like this man had no secrets in the academy but there was still one last thing to check: The other room.

Slowly opening the door and by avoiding making any noise, Reginald entered into small-like study room, all windows were closed and there was another desk by one of the walls while on the opposite there was a big board with a lot of pictures that had one thing in particular: The Star Guardians. As he took a closer inspection of this board he saw many lines connecting different names and pictures that led to possible students in the academy, some of them people who were completely unknown to Ren. The next thing he investigated was the table that had a diary with another curious fact, all of the letters were in a completely strange language that looked like symbols.

¨What is the principal into…?¨ He tried to grab the diary but as soon as his fingers touched one of the old pages it closed, startling the student ¨I think that's enough¨ He turned and proceeded to leave the room, however when he opened the door his blood froze and so did his body as his eyes saw the principal itself in front of him ¨No….¨

¨I don't remember calling a student here… much less someone from the morning¨ Theodore grabbed Ren by the arm and dragged him to the chair, he on the other hand sat behind his desk ¨Come on, I want to listen to your excuse¨ The principal grabbed a file from one of the drawers of his desk and immediately looked at it, still waiting for Ren's response.

¨W-w-w-well I… I'm… I was here because… wanted to know if you were… I wanted to talk to you, yes! And had no idea where you might've been so I thought that maybe you were on the other one, that's when you found me¨ There was no easy way that he was in a place he was not supposed to and looking at stuff he was not supposed to see, but trying to create a fake story was the only think he could do now and even though the principal wouldn't believe him, he had to try.

¨I see… mister… Miles, Reginald¨ He slightly lowered the file and eyed the student ¨Not only you are lying because there is no possible way for you to enter into my office without a key, you were also snooping on private files, especially those that are regarding an interesting topic at the Runeterra Academy¨

¨I-I-I know principal… sir… but it was not my intention to look at that, the door was open and-¨

¨And like any human your curiosity told you to investigate¨ With a quick movement of hands the principal closed the file ¨Trespassing, is a serious crime. For what you did you deserve to be expelled, and then reported to the police, making sure that everything you saw here was a lie…¨

¨Please no! My parents would kill me if they found out about this, please don't call them and-¨ Ren got interrupted as soon as the old man raised his hand.

¨You are not the first one to beg for such trivialities… but… you know what I'm looking for, right?¨ The student nodded ¨The Star Guardians are quite prized in this place, and you can be certain I'm not the only one yearning for its identities so we can make a deal here: I need extra eyes who could help me with this, so you will gather information on these… guardians and will report to me every Friday starting next week. You will have to bring me something that I deem useful¨

¨What if I don't find anything?¨

¨You get expelled and I will call the police about the crime, the same goes if you try to warn the guardians about me. If you keep following my instructions you will still be at the academy but that does not mean you have immunity from exams or any of the sorts; if you do get expelled for any other reason that is not breaking our deal then I will also call the police. Did I make myself clear?¨

¨Yes… yes sir…¨

¨Let me also clarify something: This task alone is hard, I know it, so you will have to ask for help and don't tell me the `I don't know anyone´ because I saw your two friends on the classroom to your right. Whether they are listening or not… you are not to tell them what's at stake, just tell them you need to find information about the Star Guardians¨ Theodore leaned back ¨Dismissed¨ After those words Reginald stood up from the chair and bowed at the principal, still afraid and shaking but at the same time grateful that he was given another chance.

* * *

 **This was the kind of problem Ren was going to get into; forced to work for the principal to avoid getting expelled and prison. Now it's his time to investigate on the Star Guardians and he'll have to gather a team to make that happen. Funnily enough the following events with the guardians and the anti-guardians will give Ren a lot of material (and me too since there will be fighting!)**

* * *

 **I'm figuring out that I'm doing something wrong with the chapters, not getting reviews is a sign that maybe I'm doing a bad job at this and need to reconsider a lot more; the chapters might not be interestiing or maybe people lost interest? It's actually a worrying trend and I will have to find a fix or somehthing.**

 **But I'll see what to do because now I'm out and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	15. Chapter 15

With the academy still under repairs many classrooms were closed and a lot of students were sent to other classes until the entire building got repaired.

This meant that Sophie and Jinx's classroom had even more students and to the guardian's surprise they weren't going to be the only ones in the same room, Lux and Poppy were sent along with their classmates and tried to find an empty spot.

¨Ok…¨ Miss Laurent sighed as she grabbed the book ¨Please be quiet so we can start with the class, we are a lot of students and while it might be difficult I expect everyone to be respectful to your classmates and your professor¨ However everyone kept talking and there was no way to stop them so instead she left the book in the desk and grabbed a long ruler, she hit the blackboard with it and the sound it made forced everyone to remain silent as everyone got scared of what the adult woman might do ¨The new principal told us that we can be a bit more strict when it comes to treating the students, of course injuring you would be against the code of a professor and illegal, but as long as you keep silent and do your homework there won't be any need to call out students to the front to recite what they wrote. Did I make myself clear?¨ The complete silence in the room just made Miss Laurent smile as she left the ruler and grabbed once again the book ¨Now _please_ open your book on page 32 and start reading, after that make sure to do exercises 1 to 3¨

With their new task all of the students started to read the different texts but their talking also resumed, only this time it was just whispers since they didn't want the professor to hit them with the ruler.

Since the entire classroom was full everyone moved their desks and they would all have to be sitting in groups of four, this meant that the guardians were able to be together and discuss important matters such was what happened to Lux and Sophie the night before.

¨Should we tell them?¨ The newest member opened her book and eyed the rest of her companions. Just as Lux, Soph had a band aid over her cheek which was were the girl with the knives made the cut.

¨Tell us what? How you like to inflict damage to yourselves?¨ Jinx chuckled, leaning back on her chair but Lux pulled her, the leader didn't want anybody to listen to such a sensitive topic.

¨This is serious, there is another person hunting down the minions from the Dark Star¨

¨Wait, what? More guardians?¨ Poppy raised a brow ¨I know that monster was… big and all but we got Sophie, does the First Star think we need more help?¨

¨The problem is… that person is not a Star Guardian¨ Both Jinx and the Yordle were surprised, few humans tried to fight the creatures from the Dark Star but it all ended up too bad ¨The girl has a team and not only that, they or at the very least the one that we saw yesterday is also a student and could probably know our identities¨

¨Wait wait wait, so let me get this clear: They are not guardians but fight against the Dark Star, they are also against us? And here I thought our duties couldn't get any more interesting¨

¨That's not the point, the girl from yesterday absorbed the creature¨

¨Wait what?¨ Jinx slightly turned to Sophie after hearing that.

¨They… absorbed it? How?¨

¨She stabbed the creature and then took its powers or whatever she did and the creature disappeared, _poof_ there was no evidence¨ Sophie made a motion with her hands like if it was an explosion ¨I'm more afraid for the fact that it could be anyone¨

¨Any ideas? Maybe the hair color could help us reduce the search¨

¨When we transform we change completely, even our hair so we can't be sure¨ Lux leaned back and sighed ¨We have to be careful, our new enemy might be looking at us right now, but we can't just focus on this new threat only since the old one might also try to do something¨

¨Whatever the case Shiro and Kuro are ready for some action, I hope this new team is made of bullies; I can't wait to see some ugly faces blow up and-¨

¨Jinx no! We can't just kill off students until we find out who it is, we have to be careful¨ Poppy immediately stopped the cyan haired girl who was already imagining all the stuff she could do ¨We need to tell Janna and Lulu as well, they have to know¨

¨Ok then, I'll inform Janna, you Poppy go for Lulu. If possible try to get information as well as pointing out anything suspicious, we'll meet again at the club and round up everything we got, ok?¨ The three guardians nodded, it was going to be a long day for them, especially since someone was probably hunting the team.

* * *

The last period before literature club was PE and unlike the other periods the entire classroom was split up and only Sophie and Jinx were together again. After the entire class was over all of the girls went to the locker area but the latest member of the guardians couldn't leave without Jinx since the leader suggested that they should stick together just in case.

While Sophie was cleaning up her locker Jinx was just finishing changing from the PE clothes and back to her regular academy style, however she was not finished since she also wanted to pick some stuff from her locker.

¨By the time she is finished the Dark Star will destroy everything!¨ Shisa yelled, during the entire class the familiar had to stay inside of the locker, waiting for the guardian to return.

¨I know… but if we try to speed her up then she… well I don't know what she might do¨

¨Well I know what the rest of the team is going to do if none of you show up in time!¨

While the dark haired girl was waiting for the rebel to finish three people entered into the locker room and heard the voice of the guardian, they were slowly advancing towards the two of them. They cornered the students until they finally noticed they were being observed, Sophie wanted to go away but Jinx was already engaging a conversation with some of the newcomers.

¨What do you want?¨ The bored expression in the crazy girl's face was not a very welcome one, she then looked at the third one ¨Never though seeing Morgana walking with you two¨

¨We were just passing by… seeing if there is something we can help you two with…¨ The first girl, Katarina talked, behind her the white haired student that followed the Du Couteau sibling everywhere. On the other side of this hallway was another girl with dark purple hair, she leaned by the long lockers and had a menacing grin while looking at Sophie.

¨Yeah… you can help by going somewhere else, if you're looking for Lux I don't know where she is¨ Jinx turned and kept taking stuff from her private locker.

¨Well we actually expected Lux here but since at least one of you are here then I guess it will work anyway¨

¨One of us?¨ Soph slightly turned to see the emerald eyes of Katarina who were now looking back at her ¨W-what are you trying to do?¨

¨Just sending a message, you see? Maybe Jinx wasn't there but Sophie… it was fun trying to save those civilians, too bad I was faster¨

¨Civilians? What is _she_ talking about?¨

¨Let me put it this way¨ Morgana and Riven moved closer to Jinx and Sophie ¨This is your only warning, stay away from the Dark Star and let my team do the job, the last thing this city needs is a puny team of Star Guardians trying to get rid of something too… useful¨ The leader looked at her companions and nodded. The other two students pushed the guardians inside of the lockers and closed it, from the inside they were able to hear how they put a lock on the door ¨This is our only warning, tell the rest of your team to stay away from those creatures and you will live, fail to listen… and the academy will have less students to take care of…¨ With those menacing words the footsteps were getting quieter until they left the locker room.

¨So we finally discovered who we are up against…¨ Sophie tried to move inside of the locker but it was barely possible to even do anything ¨Are you ok Jinx?¨

¨I will kill them, ALL OF THEM, I WILL BLOW UP THEIR FACES, HOUSES, FRIENDS, FAMILY. EVERYTHING!¨

¨Jinx calm down, I just need to…¨ Sophie tried to grab her phone from one of the pockets and with the little visibility she had the student managed to send a text message, hoping that it was sent to the right person ¨Now let's wait and cross our fingers¨

¨Cross our fingers? I CAN BARELY MOVE AN ARM!¨

Half an hour passed and there were no signs of people until the two guardians heard someone entering, there were many footsteps and they were all running.

¨ _You sure the message said here?¨_ That was the voice of Janna which meant that the rest of the team was there.

 _¨This is the last female-only locker room in the academy, they have to be here¨_

 _¨Pix thinks they might've escaped, it's all silent here¨_

¨That's… that's our team¨ Sophie faintly said, trying to look at the small slits of the locker.

¨LUX JUST GET ME OUT OF HERE I DON'T CARE HOW JUST DO IT!¨ Jinx tried to kick and punch the door just to get the attention of the rest of the members.

¨ _Over here!¨_ The other four members were now in front of the correct lockers, however when they tried to open it they noticed there was a lock _¨We have no code for this… guess I'll have to do it, stand back_ ¨ Poppy warned everyone as they all left the field of view of the two guardians inside. In just mere seconds part of the door from the locker was completely destroyed and they were able to rescue both Jinx and Sophie. As they got out they saw Poppy holding her hammer ¨Mission complete… I guess¨

¨Soph, Jinx, are you alright?¨ The leader asked, helping the two girls sit on one of the benches ¨What happened?¨

¨Katarina… Riven… they are part of the other team. The one we saw yesterday¨

¨W-what? How is that possible?¨ Janna was worried more about the health of her teammates rather than on this new threat.

¨They warned us, if we don't stay away we'll probably get killed¨

¨As if! I will not stay away, not while I can blow their faces UP!¨

¨Isn't there a way to be all friends?¨ Lulu tried to calm down Jinx but the rebel was far from being relaxed, and who would be after spending half an hour in a locker?

¨We'll have to be careful, we are going to face an enemy that we see every day, we must stay together and hone our skills because if they can get stronger we have to do the same and definitely not by using their same methods¨ Lux tried to act as a leader but unfortunately Jinx was not listening since she was rambling about how she was going to destroy Katarina and her people ¨What a year it's going to be…¨

* * *

 **Now the Star Guardians know the identity of some of the members of hte new team, it will be interesting to see the rivarly between the two of them as they meet each other in different classes and even during future combats.**

* * *

 **So why didn't I update earlier or anything? I'm receiving even less support for the story and that's what actually made me reconsider to continue or not. I _do_ think I'm doing something wrong with the story even though I'm not sure what it is, maybe it's not interesting? I'll see what I can do... maybe**

 **Until then...**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	16. Chapter 16

The day after getting caught Reginald was scared, he felt the eyes of the principal watching over him the entire time. The curiosity of Ren was still up and he couldn't forget the board with all the Star Guardian theories and the strange book, he wanted to find more about it but it was too risky.

Now it was time to get help and the first person he knew would lend aid was his trusty blond. During recess the two of them went to the courtyard to talk, the brown haired wanted an open space where he could see everyone and with that spot the principal in case he was close, thankfully he wasn't yet a cold chill was running down his spine at all times.

¨He can't force you to do that! That's blackmailing and I am sure the police would put the principal behind bars if they find out¨ Ezreal frowned, he could not believe the deal that person made with Reginald.

¨But you do know that if I try to go against him **I** might be the one going behind bars for trespassing?¨

¨I know I know…¨ The student sighed and leaned on a wall ¨So when's the deadline then?¨

¨Next Friday… and of course I have nothing and I'm going to need all the help I can get¨

¨Well you have me on board, besides…¨ Ezreal chuckled ¨I owe you for not ratting me out¨ His hand went to the back of his head as he kept that guilty smile.

¨Well you better be helping me, being alone on the office was scary enough! However… we two can't do the job alone, we need more people¨

¨Well Talon will be helping us, I can tell you he would also be afraid of getting ratted out, and I'm sure he would be curious about what you found there. As for the more people part I think I have an idea¨

¨I'm all ears¨

¨We can make a club dedicated to the investigation of the Star Guardians, it wouldn't raise suspicions, maybe with the actual guardians but some other students are interested in finding the identity of those girls, I can name a few¨

¨If Ahri joins then we'll probably have half the academy in the club¨ Reginald sighed until he remembered something important about the clubs ¨Wait… we can't make a club¨ The blond raised one of his brows ¨If I remember correctly there is a rule that no second year student can start their own club¨

¨But we can have one from third year vouching for us, and before you ask, yes I do know someone, we'll meet this person during lunch, ok?¨

¨Here's to hope that person isn't crazy…¨

¨Don't worry, she isn't… but it would be best to get prepared, she likes to judge¨ As Ezreal said this the bell rang and everyone had to return to their classrooms.

* * *

After having a quick lunch Ezreal led his friend to a different part of the academy, one that he hasn't been before. This one was filled with special classrooms although they were dedicated to special clubs and as the blond explained those had to be approved by the principal as well as having a lot of members. They stopped at a door that said 31 B and from the glass they could see that it was a place dedicated to the Chess Club; some of the students were having lunch there but everyone was focused on a couple that was playing said game.

¨You see the girl playing?¨ Reginald nodded ¨That's the person we need to talk to¨

¨Do you think it's going to work?¨

¨If anything, we have a backup plan…¨

A person who was inside of the classroom got closer to the door and eyed the two students as if they were some kind of threat; he opened the door and blocked the line of sight of the two curious boys ¨Need anything?¨

¨Um… yes, we want to talk to the president of the club¨

¨I'm second in command, you can talk to me¨

¨The president is my friend, I need to talk to her about an important matter, ok?¨ Ezreal tried to convince the unknown student to let them in, thankfully for them it was a success and they were able to come closer to that chess game.

It was already finishing, the girl still had the majority of the pieces while her opponent was just with a horse and the king. The almost-winner moved its rook closer to the key white piece as she smiled and looked at the nervous boy ¨Check¨ Her blue eyes slightly turned upwards as she saw her blond friend and an unknown brown haired individual ¨Ezreal, it is a surprise to see you here¨

The boy moved the king backwards and waited for his opponent to make the move ¨Yeah I'm not going to take a lot of time but we need to talk in private, we have something important¨

¨Cait can you please make your move? I want to have lunch as soon as possible¨ The other player said as he looked angry both at the girl and the duo which arrived just now.

¨Fine¨ She moved her queen and took the white horse and stood up from the chair ¨Checkmate¨ From the ground she picked up a dark purple top-hat and smiled at the loser ¨Just because my boyfriend doesn't mean I'll let you win, but don't worry Matt, you'll win one day and get to wear the hat¨ Caitlyn looked back at Ezreal and Reginald and smiled ¨Let's go boys, private talk¨

The three of them went to a different part of the room where they could have privacy; Ezreal presented Reginald to the president of the Chess Club as well as how was her relationship with the blond.

¨Now we have this situation about my friend and the only person who could help us was you¨

¨Me?¨ Caitlyn chuckled ¨I'm pretty sure you could've asked a lot more people, especially ones that have a less tight schedule¨ She shifted to Reginald ¨So what is it that you need?¨

¨It's not that hard and… uh… we want to create a club and since we are second year students we need someone from third year who could vouch for us¨

¨A new club? But of course!¨ The two boys smiled at each other, they were successful ¨But before I can give you this approval I want to know what kind of club you are going to make¨

¨Oh it's nothing too complicated, just an investigation club for the Star Guardians¨

The smile in Caitlyn remained there for a few seconds as she nodded slowly ¨Ah… okay… please leave this classroom¨

¨B-but Cait!¨ The president stood up and started pushing the two visitors away ¨You are also interested in the Star Guardians!¨ Ezreal's words didn't work as they were keep getting pushed by the third year girl.

¨This doesn't mean I get to vouch people for an idea like that!¨ Caitlyn pushed the two students outside of the classroom but stood there, not allowing them to enter once again ¨If you were looking for someone who shares your same weird ideas then you should've gone to Ahri or someone else, but not me¨

¨Ez… I think we'll have to use your backup plan¨ Reginald looked at the blond who nodded and waved with his hand at someone on the hallway.

¨Backup plan? There's no way you're going to force me into helping your idea¨ She crossed her arms, the smug in her face would not last long.

¨We're not going to, _she_ is¨

¨She? What are you- Oh… no you didn't you little b-¨

¨Well hello there Cupcake! I was planning to see you after school, but little Ezzy and little Ren here told me you might be a bit too harsh on 'em. What did it happen this time?¨ The pink haired girl put her arms around the boys' shoulders and put them closer to her.

¨S-she won't vouch for us for our investigation club¨

¨You what now? These kids want to go investigate… whatever and you are denying them?!¨ Vi raised her tone albeit with more sarcasm than ever.

¨Vi don't make a scene here, please¨

¨I'm not making a scene here, but if you want me to calm down you should vouch for them, I mean… we know Ezzy for years now and this…¨ She eyed Reginald who was mostly confused ¨Just a few days but he's as close to us than ever¨

¨If I accept them will you shut up and let them go?¨

¨Mh… maybe we can arrange something else…¨

¨Vi… we can't… breathe…¨ Reginald was tapping the brute's arms until she released them both ¨Thanks… so Caitlyn… do we have a deal?¨

¨You can have my vote for the club but it will be under my conditions¨ With one brow raised the student felt worried on the inside of what the president may ask ¨First, since I will have to be the president I want the club to be running and not a `ghost´ one, that means that you have to show me a list of at least five members, second I want the club to be named Investigation Club, nothing about Star Guardian in the name¨

¨Is that all?¨

¨I don't care what you are going to do in there but if you are planning to turn the academy upside down my name can't be anywhere, ok? Last thing I want is a problem with the principal because **you** went in too deep¨ She extended her hand ¨Those are my conditions, if you accept them I'll give my vote when you find three more people¨

¨Yeah…¨ Reginald nodded ¨I accept them¨ He extended his hand but before he could even touch Caitlyn's the girl raised it a bit.

¨Are you going to add Ahri to the club?¨

¨Uh… no… we weren't planning to¨

¨Good¨ She put her hand back in the same place and shook it with Reginald ¨You'll know where to find me, and if you don't… well I know someone who can always find me¨ Caitlyn smiled at the pink haired who returned the happy look as the former went back to the classroom.

The three students were going to the courtyard now, waiting until lunchtime was over ¨I'm glad we got to an agreement; if it weren't for you Vi I don't know we could've gotten anything¨

¨Talking about that Ezzy… I think you owe me something¨ The tall woman stood in front of the two boys, crossing her arms and with a grin in her face ¨Come on, spill it¨

¨Argh… fine, Jayce will be attending the club on Friday night, he's going with a girl but he's not so sure about her, his options might be open¨

¨Should be easy, anyway see ya losers, this girl is having a special date this weekend!¨ The pink haired tapped the shoulders of the two students and walked away.

¨So… three more people, where can we find them¨

¨Don't worry about that Ren, I got that covered, I can call in some trusty people and we'll have the club running by the end of the week. I'll see you in classroom, I gotta do a few errands¨ The blond waved his hand and left the troubled boy alone.

¨I should be worried… you brought me into this mess after all!¨

* * *

 **And Ren is right, if it wasn't for Ezreal and Talon he wouldn't be in that mess, but things happen for a reason and now him and our young explorer are in charge of a club to gather all sorts of information abou the guardians in hopes of saving poor Reginald.**

 **Next chapter will be Sophie and an important moment for her since she will have to make an important decision.**

* * *

 **Again no reviews but at least we got a new follower :D, surely I take my time to update and like I said I don't want to have a schedule, the story will be done eventually along with Heroes & Legends, not sure if there will be a project in the future for a new fic or anything and even though I have ideas I won't talk about them **

**Ah yes, before I forget. DISCORD!** **discord dot gg / eR8n7wW we have plenty of people and fun (just be careful not to get backstabbed)**

 **I swear it's almost 30 degrees Celcius by midnight, I hate Summer sometimes, and as I go to bed I want to say to you happy 2018 and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	17. Chapter 17

Ever since Sophie and Jinx were ambushed by some of the anti-Star Guardians the team decided to meet up a bit more at the Literature Club to focus on how to deal with this new enemy. The week after that were just short meetings to discuss anything new about Katarina and her people, unfortunately there was no luck since the Dark Star was not sending its minions and hence their new enemy was also hidden.

Friday arrived, the meeting was over and everyone already parted ways, Sophie was still at the academy and getting some stuff from her locker before going back home. Her eyes perked up as she heard someone running in her direction, she was prepared to transform in case it was Katarina or any of the others, lately she and her team appeared more around the Star Guardians just to taunt them. By the time her eyes turned to the left the dark haired girl found herself with her classmate.

¨Soph, took me quite a while to find you¨ The tanned girl said as she tried to get some air

¨Taliyah, shouldn't you be on your club right now?¨

¨Could ask you the same¨

¨True… Lit Club had a short meeting so we can go home earlier¨ The guardian answered and closed the locker, she tried to walk away but Taliyah tried to block her path ¨You need help with something…¨

¨Yes… it's something that I can't do alone and I… uh…¨ Taliyah looked down, almost embarrassed ¨I want you to come with me to the club¨

¨W-why do you need that?!¨

The other girl immediately covered Sophie's mouth, looking everywhere and now adding nervousness to her already embarrassed look ¨Don't shout like that! This is not the type of discussion to have on a hallway, you coming or not?¨

¨If you promise this is not going to be weird¨

¨I can't, people acting out or something, if you expect that NOT to be weird then you are going to the wrong place¨

Sophie sighed, knowing her friend was right ¨Fine, but let's hope it's something good¨

…

Once the two girls arrived at the theatre they found themselves with the members of the club already on the stage practicing some lines and moving some props, what was surprising was that there were other people there that were just spectators.

¨Why did you bring me here? If you wanted a private place to talk this is not the right one¨

¨Just stay silent¨ Taliyah hushed the student as they sat on one of the top rows to have a better view of the stage ¨I brought you here because there is something I need to tell you, you are probably the only one I can trust on this matter and here is where I can also show you¨

¨Show me? Show me what?¨

The lights on the entire room went off except for one that was focused on the front of the stage ¨Very well, one student at a time. Follow the list and make it quick, art does not wait, and certainly I'm not paid for even more extra hours…¨ The first student walked to the light with a paper in his hand, a bit unsure ¨Read the script, I want you to feel like every seat is filled and the eyes of the crowd are upon you, judging every move and word that your body and your mouth make…¨ As the first participant started talking the two girls were silently looking, especially Sophie who had no idea why she was actually there ¨No no no, the main character of this play needs to be heroic, brave, it needs… strength in its voice… Next!¨

¨You have an interest as an actress? Is that what you wanted to tell me?¨

¨What? No, there is another reason, a far bigger one on why I asked you to come here with me. It is about seeing the people in this club… sort of¨

¨What do you mean sort of? Is this actually going to be worth my time?¨ The guardian wanted to leave the academy, not only to get onto her studies but also to avoid meeting any of the members of the enemy team.

¨Look… I will tell you but you have to promise me… you will not tell anyone else about this, not until… it becomes official¨ The dark haired girl raised her brow ¨Promise me¨

¨Ok… I promise that I won't tell anyone¨

¨Promise me that if you tell this to anyone… even your parents… uh… then… Jinx will burn down your hair!¨

¨What?!¨ The other spectators hushed Sophie before focusing again on the play ¨Yeah I promise that if I tell anyone Jinx will burn down my hair (Even though that won't be the worst thing for her to do…)¨ She had an inner thought at the end, knowing the true power of the crazy girl.

¨Well…¨ The dark brown eyes from the student looked to the front as a smile formed on her face. Sophie had to do the same and saw that the person on stage was no other than Ekko ¨It's him…¨

¨Yeah it's Ekko… he's on this club, right? It's kind of you to visit his...¨ At that moment Sophie found out the actual reason Taliyah asked her to go to the theatre ¨No… no way… You… and…¨ She chuckled.

¨Shut it, would you? I want this to be a secret and you raising your voice does not help me keeping this private¨ The entire theatre went silent and so did Ekko who was on the stage, the eyes of everyone were onto the two girls who were speaking before ¨You think they are looking at us?¨

¨Enjoying the rehearsals?¨ The man that was behind looked at the two students from above, his face was obscured from the darkness in the theatre ¨I don't mind other students watching this part of the club but I do not like those that interrupt my actors¨

¨Ah… professor Jhin w-we didn't mean to interrupt! We were just discussing about… about… the people who participated, yes!¨ Taliyah tried to make the perfect excuse for this awkward situation, Sophie on the other hand remained silent, not knowing how to respond to this problem.

¨I see… well I am glad you are interested in the dramatic art but even an artist knows when someone is lying… You two, out of this place before you waste more time for the club¨

This was definitely an embarrassment moment for the two of them, especially the guardian who didn't have vote into this. They were already walking away from that place and heading towards the entrance of the academy.

¨Thank you Taliyah, now I left my mark on some people as one who likes to interrupt others¨

¨Hey you agreed coming with me, you knew the consequences¨

¨Consequences?! You told me to go with you somewhere else, there were no consequences in that, you created them!¨

¨Fine... it's my fault I recognize it, but at least now you know a secret about me. Now the question is… do you have any?¨

¨Of course I do, I'm a human being who likes to keep a few things secret from others, even my parents¨

¨Such as…?¨ Taliyah became interested, she trusted Sophie and wanted the feeling to be mutual since she was also a person who could keep a secret.

¨I'm not going to tell you¨ Soph smiled ¨I know for certain my secrets are far more… valuable than yours¨

¨Please... there's nothing more important that having your crush close to you… right?¨ Sophie shook her head and made the tanned-skinned girl frown ¨So it is something more important? Come on Soph tell me, we are best friends, you can trust me¨

¨I am a Star Guardian¨ That comment alone just made Taliyah silent.

¨No, seriously what's the secret?¨ But the actual guardian shrugged ¨So I let you one of my most important secrets and you just… nothing? Can we really be called friends?¨

¨Come on, don't be like that…¨ They stopped at the entrance of the academy ¨You must understand that if I told you this… well, it's just to keep you safe¨ Taliyah gave a step back, her face showed fear ¨Wait… do not get the wrong idea, I'm not meeting with someone bad¨

¨Then what it is? There's literally _nothing_ good if you try to keep a secret just to keep me safe. Prove me otherwise if you don't want me to call the police¨

¨What?! No… just…¨ Sophie sighed ¨Do I really have to? I swear it's nothing bad¨

¨Prove. Me. Otherwise¨

¨Fine… but we have to go someplace where no one can see us¨

¨I know a place… but here in the academy, I want to be able to run away if anything happens¨

…

The two girls walked to an enclosed area near the gym, they made sure no one was watching and considering most of the people either left or were in a club the chances of anybody being near were very low.

¨Ok… so first proof that you should trust me¨ Sophie grabbed her backpack and took something from it, Taliyah was very careful and took a step back but as soon as she saw what the student pulled she was far more confused than scared.

¨It's a… lion… I think. WAIT, no, I remember where I saw that thing¨

¨The name is Shisa, she is my familiar and-¨

Taliyah grabbed the familiar and played with it as if it was a doll ¨Oh my, I can't believe you found some Star Guardian merch!¨ The student ran her fingers across the ears of the creature, she even pressed the stomach thinking it would make any voice, however only weird sounds came out of it¨

¨Save me or I'll turn her to ashes¨ That's what Sophie heard from her familiar who was suffering in Taliyah's hands.

¨What? No!¨ The guardian immediately took Shisa ¨What kind of merch does this?¨ She allowed the small lion to float in the air ¨Shisa is alive, and is my familiar¨

¨Technology has advanced a lot, it could be a drone, or I don't know¨

¨Could be yeah… but what kind of technology can do **this** ¨ Sophie grinned and took the necklace with the crystal, within a few seconds the gem started to glow. The transformation began and the only thing Taliyah could do was just watch and feel amazed at what her eyes were seeing.

¨You…¨ When the process finished and the girl with the horn and the wings stood in front of her, the student froze ¨You are… you are…¨

¨There was a reason, now you know why I couldn't- WAIT, NO STOP IT, IT TICKLES¨ It was impossible for the now green-haired girl to finish her sentence since Taliyah immediately went for Sophie's ears and pet them like an animal ¨TALIYAH, I SWEAR, THIS IS NOT FUN!¨ The student had to push her friend in order to get some space ¨There, happy?¨

¨I'm… I'm speechless to be honest, but yeah I can see why you wanted to keep that secret¨ The surprised girl walked around the Star Guardian, looking at every detail and part ¨So the person we all saw the day that big monster attacked… it was you then?¨

¨Yes, and now I have to deal with those monsters whenever they come. Now that you know this I have to make sure you won't say anything, to _anyone_ else the girls at the lit club will-¨ Sophie's eyes widened after saying those last words, she noticed Taliyah did the same ¨I mean… the girls from the rest of the team will kill me¨

¨The Literature Club…¨

¨No¨

¨That means Lux and Poppy…¨

¨No…¨

¨And even Jinx?!¨

¨Tali whatever you are thinking, you are wrong¨

¨The Literature Club is your cover for your Star Guardian activities! Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod¨ Sophie covered her face in embarrassment, it was a bad idea to tell her friend about the powers and even the club (even if it was an accident) ¨I want to join you¨

¨What? You can't¨

¨Then how can I become a Star Guardian? Your lives are far more entertaining; going to classes during the day, meeting after class hours and during the night you go and fight those vile creatures that hunt in the dark and terrorize to destroy Valoran City!¨

¨That's… it's not like your typical anime you see, this is far more different and definitely more complicated¨

¨Then tell me everything…¨

 **[One long explanation later]**

¨…And now we have to keep an eye on the enemy team since they are far more closer than we can imagine¨

¨I see… then allow me to help you¨ During the entire conversation Taliyah took Shisa once again only this time she hugged it like a plush animal, having extreme care not to suffocate the familiar ¨Sure, I can't fight or do anything of the sorts, but let me help you and your team with information¨

¨I don't know…¨

¨Ahri is certainly into Star Guardians, so if I want information I can talk to her, after all I'm not her enemy¨ Sophie frowned after hearing this, the popular girl still had a grudge over the guardian who `ruined by saving´ her life ¨Oh… right, sorry¨

¨I'm uncertain about this, what if you get hurt? I'll feel horrible if something were to happen to you because you are in the middle of a battle between my team and the other¨

¨Don't worry, I know how to take care of myself, but maybe if that happens I might become a Star Guardian too!¨

¨Don't joke about it¨ The two of them laughed ¨So… will you keep this secret?¨

¨My lips are sealed Sophie, your secret is in good hands¨

* * *

 **So I am back from my vacations, had a lot of time to think about things in general, life, college, my fics, pretty much everything; had good thoughts and bad thoughts but who cares about that, it's story time.**

 **Well it is time for Taliyah to actually get more emphasis with the Star Guardians, even though Sophie will be the only one who knows this. She will be a valuable asset especially since there is a Star Guardian club dedicated to investigating them.**

* * *

 **Of course no new reviews... but hey, at least I keep updating this story.**

 **Also for those that come here from my other stories, I WILL update Heroes & Legends, I just need to gather up my ideas and have the will to write it. Lately I feel like I'm not doing so well writing and everything I wrote was pretty bland and boring. Maybe not boring because some people liked it but I do feel like there's no innovation or maybe the characters are not interesting... the usual stuff.**

 **Anyway I'll see what I can do (probably can't)**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	18. Chapter 18

The next week arrived and the deadline to give something to the principal about the Star Guardians was that same Friday, it took some time for Reginald and Ezreal to set up the club entirely, the first boy was in charge of managing it along with Caitlyn while the blond dedicated most of his time to find the enough members to open the club. The troubled boy crossed his fingers since everything for him was on the line; if he were to get information about the guardians then he might as well ask help from everyone.

After the classes ended Ren followed Cait to the designated classroom for the club, it was still a mess from the last period and none of the members arrived yet. The two of them started to clean a bit by throwing some of the garbage into the can and moving the desks so they would face the front of the classroom.

¨I want to know something, getting to know the president of this club is a priority for me since any mistakes you or the club make it will have repercussions on me and a possible entry to college so tell me: Why did you decide to create this club?¨ Caitlyn asked, wiping the dust from some desks.

¨I… uh… I thought it was kinda obvious¨ The student from third year frowned at the brown haired ¨We received two attacks so far, and one of them was big enough to cause some serious damage on the academy, plus there is this new guardian that appeared. Ain't that suspicious to you?¨

¨There is no point in denying the sixth member from the last time, but what are you going to do? Investigate the Star Guardians and then what? Bear in mind that there is another student who is doing the same thing as you do but without the need of a club¨

¨I know what Ahri is trying to do, but with this club we can gather more information and post it online or… or in the academy's newspaper!¨ Ren looked back at the older girl and noticed she wasn't believing any of his lies ¨What?¨

¨I have a good eye for things, and one of those is the ability to detect lies. You are hiding something, I know it but I'm just going to ignore it and let you continue with your idea but let me remind you something Reginald: If you or any of the members of the club make any mistake, like… messing with someone else or… blowing up the academy, you will get reported to the principal and the club will be over. Did I make myself clear?¨

¨More than enough¨ The two of them turned and saw that the door to the classroom opened and Ezreal was the first to enter and behind him three more people to which two of them were already students he met in the past ¨To be honest I didn't expect people to join the club¨

¨I'll explain later¨ Ezreal smiled and saw as Caitlyn walked out just to stand by the door ¨Already leaving Cait?¨

¨I have other matters to attend to¨ She looked at everyone this time ¨And remember: Do not make a single mess or the club will just disappear¨ As the third year student left she closed the door behind her.

With this silence everyone looked at each other, not knowing what to do, the three members Ezreal brought grabbed a chair and sat on the front looking at the president and self-proclaimed vice, once again silence reigned since nobody had a topic to talk about and were waiting for the two students on the front to talk.

¨So… uh… you want to begin?¨ The blond handed to his friend a list with the names of all the members.

After giving a quick look at the five names on the list he nodded and looked at the three people in front ¨Yeah… uh… yeah I'll start¨ Reginald cleared his throat ¨Welcome! To the first meeting of the Star Guardian Investigation Club or… well, Investigation Club since we are forced to use that name on the records and all that¨ He chuckled but no one else said anything ¨Right… so I will have to go through everyone in order to make sure everyone is here… you know... the rules and all¨

¨Want me to do it?¨ Ezreal offered himself to do it but the president shook his head.

¨So… I'm here… Ezreal too… uhm… Talon?¨ He looked at the brown haired man who was sitting on the far right.

¨What do you want me to say? That I'm here? Or that I have to raise my hand?¨ The student just shrugged as he crossed his legs.

¨Yeah you're here. Uhm… Quinn?¨ The eyes from Ren shifted to the girl to the right of Talon, she was the new person he didn't recognize ¨I… ok you're here. Last but not least…¨ His finger went to the last name of the list and his eyes looked at the last person which was already familiar for him ¨Ekko. Yeah that's all of us¨ Ren gave once again the list to Ezreal ¨Alright so welcome everyone to the first meeting… I think I said that… uh…¨

¨How about we ask everyone why they joined the club? That way we get to know everyone¨ The blond suggested and the president nodded with a smile on his face.

¨Yeah! Let's do that, how about… Talon. Why did you join the club?¨

¨Because Ezreal dragged me here and because I owed you one for not ratting me out to the principal¨

¨Oh… yeah… uh… how about… Quinn, was it?¨ The dark purple-haired girl nodded ¨Yeah, Quinn, I've never seen you and this is my first time so I take you have interest in the Star Guardians as well¨

¨Surprisingly no¨ Quinn chuckled and the smile that was on Reginald's face disappeared after that ¨Well… it's kind of a dispute on it because yes, I am interested in the Star Guardians but not enough to be interested into a club¨

¨So…¨ The president looked back at the blond ¨Why is she here then?¨

¨Because this can help me get closer to Talon. Also someone else is using the rooftop to feed the birds so I have to make some time before going there¨

¨Uh… I… thanks?¨ The eyes shifted to the last boy in the group ¨Let me guess… you owed Ezreal a favor and you are just… warming the chair?¨

¨Not really, Ez talked me about this club you were starting and I am interested into it¨ The dark-skinned boy leaned forward ¨Besides I find it weird that there haven't been any attacks to the academy ever since we all returned to classes. You think the monsters were finally destroyed?¨

¨That's… a good question, there haven't been any sightings here or even outside, either the guardians are doing quite a good job and cleaning it or those things disappeared after the last battle¨ The sound of the door attracted the attention of the entire club as they saw a girl, almost confused as she slightly entered into the classroom.

¨Uhm… is this the Star Guardian club? T-The Investigation Club I mean¨ The tanned girl asked, grabbing her backpack with both hands.

¨Taliyah? How… we never put an announcement on the club or anything… yet¨ Miles looked back at his vice president who shrugged ¨How did you come up with us?¨

¨Your friend told me¨ But the brown haired boy was still clueless ¨Sophie¨

¨Ah! Sophie… yes, I forgot I talked to her about this, I even invited her to the club but she said she was already occupied with the Literature Club one¨ He chuckled ¨Busy with what? Reading books?¨

¨Yeah… something like that¨ The girl closed the door behind her and sat at the side of Ekko, her eyes shifting between the boy at her side and the two students on the front ¨So… uh… anything interesting?¨

¨We… just started and… no, we have nothing except that there aren't any monsters coming¨

¨Then I have something for you, an explanation about those monsters¨ Everyone focused their eyes on the new girl ¨What if I told you there is another group? Think like the Star Guardians… but evil¨

¨Wait so you're saying that the lack of attacks is because there are more of those guardians?¨ Talon was now interested into the topic ¨How do you know this?¨ The student frowned and everyone was basically getting closer to the newest person in the classroom.

¨Because… I… I saw some of these evil guardians fighting those monsters and… uh… I also saw the Star Guardians, the actual ones, fighting the evil ones¨

¨Where?¨

¨The park, it was at night, the day before we started with the classes again¨ Taliyah knew the truth but she also wanted to protect her friend and used some of the information given by the newest Star Guardian.

¨I see… well maybe we'll have to go to the park one night and see if the monsters appear… or the guardians… or the evil ones¨

¨Woah woah wait… you are asking me to do something outside of the academy… for this club?¨ The dark haired man chuckled and stood up ¨Ok that was fun but I have to go, there's practice we need to do¨

¨Yeah me too¨ Quinn stood up ¨I received a message that the rooftop is now free for me to use¨

¨I also have to leave, there is… uh… something important for another club that I have to do and if I'm not there soon then… well the professor is gonna kill me, ok?¨ Ekko excused himself, avoiding Ren's gaze.

After the other three left only Ezreal, Taliyah and Reginald were the ones in the classroom, silent as they looked each other with complete uncertainty on what to do next. ¨So…¨ The tanned girl started.

¨We are alone… again…¨

¨Well not really, we got a lead on something new¨ Ezreal commented on this, trying to cheer up his friend ¨The monsters aren't appearing since there is a conflict between two groups of guardians, even if one of them is evil we can expect them to have the same goal: Eradicate the creatures¨

¨Wait, you're planning to go find these guardians?¨

¨Uh… no, we actually wanted to-¨

¨I'm in, just like you I'm interested into the Star Guardians and I want to also know who they are… besides, this is something _we_ know and Ahri doesn't¨

¨Yeah…¨ Ren nodded ¨We got the upper hand into this, we should schedule a day and see if we can find anyone interesting, it would be better if it's this week…¨ After they all agreed on a date they started to make preparations towards that day, hoping that they would find something.

* * *

 **With a date set these three members will have to hope to find any luck with the monsters, guardians or anything but of course since this story is all about coincidences and what not guess we'll know what's coming, right? Yeeeeeeahno, there will be some twists here and there.**

 **Also we have a new character on the scene (Quinn) who will also appear once again whenever there is a club meeting and of course she will eventually be more interested into the activities from both the club and the guardians since bigger things will happen.**

* * *

 **And that's it for now folks, hope you enjoyed the chapter, thanks to those who follow and fav the story. Yes I will continue with Heroes & Legends eventually, I just need to find the will to start writing it.**

 **Hope to see some reviews too :(**

 **I'm out and with a bad internet but as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	19. Chapter 19

On Wednesday the three kids already planned to go to the park and wait for anything related to the Star Guardians and around 6 PM they would all meet together there.

Ren was already packing up some food, a flashlight and some other items such as his phone and a portable charger in case he needed to recharge his battery. In his mind there was a bigger chain of thought, if today's investigation led to some good results then he would actually provide some information to the principal and he would be out of danger for the time being, however if everything failed then he needed to make a plan for the next day or everything would be over.

Someone knocked to his room; it was Reginald's mother who said someone was waiting for him outside. As he finished with the last items on his imaginary list the student walked out of his house and found himself with the blond friend who was also carrying a bag that seemed to be loaded with many things for their night observation. After saying goodbye to the adults and with a promise of coming back before 10 PM the two students started to walk towards the park which would take them at least some minutes, more than enough to plan ahead what they would do if they find any creatures or the Anti-Star Guardian team.

¨Where is Taliyah?¨ The president asked, both his hands holding the straps from his backpack.

¨She told me we should go ahead; she'll wait us at the park¨

¨Ah cool…¨ They kept walking, their destination was still far away ¨So… this is the only chance, if not I'm probably out of the academy¨

¨I know…¨ Ezreal looked down, he knew his friend was in trouble and yet everything could've been avoided ¨Don't worry, we'll find something and you shall be saved¨

¨Yeah but for how long? If these evil Star Guardians are real then we can get a lot of information, from there we can investigate who the members of that team are… but I'm afraid that this could actually end badly¨

¨You know how reporters and investigators work, they risk their necks in order to keep their jobs¨ The vice moved his arm and placed the hand on top of the president's shoulder ¨This is something similar, we are risking our necks here, however you are the one that is in a bigger and grave danger¨

¨Yeah, thanks, that surely will keep me calmer during our observation¨

¨I'm just trying to help!¨

The two of them kept walking; the sun was still shining but not for long as the tall buildings were already blocking part of the rays of the big star. In the distance they saw the park and how the other member of the club was already waiting for the boys. When they grouped up they went for a vantage point, a set of swings that were far away from the center of the park and from where they could actually see any kind of movement should it appear.

The first hour passed and their eyes only saw a few adults walking around, some janitors cleaning the trashcans and a few dogs who were sleeping on the benches. Ren was sitting on one of the swings, Taliyah was with her phone and sending a lot of messages to her friends, Ezreal had a pair of binoculars and started to look at the darkened sky, if the evil team worked like the Star Guardians then they might as well fly or do some similar tricks. With nothing interesting happening the three of them switched positions for another hour.

Two hours went by and just like the last time there was nothing to report; Reginald's heart was beating faster, he was already scared that they might not find anything and by the looks of it there would be no sightings of monsters, Star Guardians or anything relevant to their investigation.

¨Are you sure it was here, Taliyah? Doesn't seem like any magical things could appear¨

¨It was here, in this very park¨ The girl stood up from her swing and stood at the side of Ren, she grabbed the binoculars and tried to spot any abnormality ¨Maybe they have a schedule? Like… they appear on certain days and such¨

¨So big, bad and horrible creatures also have their tea times? That sounds… weird, I mean I can create a scene on top of my head¨ Ezreal smiled but the other two students hushed him ¨Fine… by the way we should be switching soon, one more hour and we go back home¨

¨No!¨

¨Ren, I know you want this to be true but you have to face it, what are the chances of… of… _anything_ showing up right now?¨

¨Guys…¨ The president and the vice looked at the tanned girl; she pointed at something that was behind them, or rather coming towards them. It was a small group of the infamous creatures, one of them was floating around with its tentacles while the other was slowly moving on the ground, leaving a trail of goo that was coming out of its mouth. None of them noticed the three students standing there.

¨Quick get phones, cameras, anything we have to record this!¨ The brown haired kid said and pulled from his pocket the phone and pressed a few buttons to have access to the camera.

¨WATCH OUT!¨ Ezreal pushed his friends since the burrowed monster went at incredibly high speed towards the students. As the monster was getting close they noticed that on top of it a woman with white hair and a green glowing blade that was stabbing the carapace of the creature ¨What the… that wasn't anything of the guardians… could it be…¨

¨Over there!¨ The voice of a woman attracted the attention of the fallen students who saw as a group of four dark-clothed girls flew in the same direction as the white haired one.

¨It's the anti-Star Guardians¨ Taliyah muttered and grabbed her phone immediately, she stood up and took a picture of this team as they were trying to fight the three monsters. After she took the picture the tanned girl sent it along with a message to a fellow friend of hers.

* * *

The black haired girl looked at the screen on her phone and saw the message from her friend, the picture also showed the enough proof to consider it an actual menace.

¨Soph, are you listening?¨ Janna asked at the distracted girl.

The majority of the team of guardians met at the house of the third-grade student to study for the upcoming exams. Lux was writing down the answer to a long math exercise, Poppy was resting her head and using her books as a pillow, Lulu was playing with Pix away from the table and Sophie was using her phone. The only person missing from the group was Jinx who rejected the invitation to study and stayed home.

¨What are you waiting for? Tell them!¨ Shisa came out from the guardian's bag and read the message from Taliyah.

¨I… we have to go¨

¨Yeah… Janna¨ Poppy stood up, she had a paper hanging from her side cheek until Lux grabbed it ¨It's late already and we have to go to the academy tomorrow, I'm sure we can meet up on Friday and keep doing some more maths¨

¨I am busy on Friday, plus we have more than one exam so we have to also be working on history and-¨

¨Katarina and her team are attacking some Dark Star monsters¨ Everyone turned their eyes to the newest member of the team ¨They are at the park, we have to stop them¨

Lux stood up and immediately put all her belongings in her backpack, after a few seconds of silence in which the rest of the team looked back at their leader the blonde finally snapped ¨It's settled, we're going to the park¨

* * *

 **Soooooooooo this is a short chapter, since I'll be busy this entire week I wanted to have this one ready ASAP. Next chapter will be an actual fight between the two teams (as well as presenting the last remaining ones) however there is something else as well: Ren, Ezreal and Taliyah will be in the middle of this battle and considering the Dark Star monsters will also be there... well, needless to say it will be a longer chapter, more individual fights, explosions, and even some... interesting dialog and parts.**

* * *

 **No reviews... again... sigh.**

 **Well I bid farewell as I'mm tired and I only slept two hours and I fear that if I close my eyes I might fall asleep.**

 **Also: I'll post some Heroes & Legends after this, those who are following that story and come here waiting for me to post any update about it. Yes, I promise by God that the next thing I post will be a H&L chapter.**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	20. Chapter 20

The four guardians were already transformed and flying high towards the park, they were almost at cloud level and behind her they left a trail that resembled the color of their hair. They were fast but not enough since it would take them some time before getting there and they were afraid the anti-Star Guardians might've left already; Sophie however was afraid Katarina and her team saw Taliyah and hence the girl would be in danger.

¨Any news on Jinx?¨ The latest member asked, her eyes fixated on the horizon.

¨She said she was going… let's hope she hasn't done anything stupid¨ Lux said with a concerned look on her face, the leader knew the rebel had a grudge against Katarina and she might even start to fight the enemy team by herself.

¨Yet…¨ Poppy added ¨It would actually be a surprise if she waited for us¨

¨We have to put our trust in her, ok?¨ Lux finally answered ¨Don't do anything stupid Jinx…¨ She whispered to herself and continue the flight.

* * *

The anti-Star Guardians were finishing up the job as the last creature fell and one of the members absorbed the power from the monster.

¨What are they doing?¨ Ezreal whispered, trying to get a better look from the action while still being behind some cover.

The three students were hiding behind some of the games taking pictures and recording, they had already quite a lot of footage which could be more than enough evidence to show the principal and save Ren from getting expelled. So far they haven't been in trouble, but that was about to change since the only girl in this small group forgot to silence her phone and the small melody it made attracted the attention of the evil guardians.

¨Shut that thing!¨ Reginald whispered but with an angry tone in his voice, they all had to hide completely, hoping that none of them heard the sound.

¨I'm trying¨ She pressed many buttons on the screen but her hands were shaky and couldn't cancel the call.

¨Just remove the battery!¨ Ezreal saw the many attempts from Taliyah but he got fed up and took the phone, removing the cover on the back and taking off the battery, killing the song ¨Finally… do you think they heard that?¨

The silence in the entirety of the park created nothing but tension all around, the first thing they heard was someone stepping on the dirt and pebbles around the place they were hiding, then someone climbed on top. There was no doubt the three students were in trouble.

 _¨Mh… weird, I thought I heard some noises coming from here…¨_ One of the female voices talked, this inflicted a lot of fright into the heart of the club members as their hearts were pounding faster and faster.

 _¨It was probably someone who left… do you think that person was scared of us?¨_ Another one talked, maybe this was going to be their lucky day and the anti-Star Guardians would leave them alone.

 _¨Person?¨_ A third voice came and chuckled _¨I'd say we are dealing with more than one… probably three¨_ This was worrisome, were they just playing with their food? Because that's what some of the students thought during that moment. After a few seconds of silence the club members thought the girls actually gave up ¨ _They probably are long gone now. No point in searching, let's go, we are done here¨_

As the anti-Star Guardians left they kids gave a sigh of relief but that peace wouldn't last long since someone materialized in front of them, a woman of pale skin and golden hair smiled and aimed a pair of tentacles that came out of her lower back and had a sharp edge that resembled an arrow. Since she only had two tentacles those were pointed at Ezreal and Taliyah while the woman used her hand to grab Ren by his cheeks with her long and sharp nails. ¨I am surprised you haven't run¨ The blonde woman ran her tongue across her lips ¨Come on, no more games and follow me¨ The vice president and the other member had to stand up and move by themselves while Ren was the one that had it worse since he was forcefully dragged by this hostile person.

The club members were dragged outside and found themselves in front of the rest of the anti-Star Guardians. It was clear who was the leader and her right hand; to the left of the red haired girl were two more, one of them with pointy ears, dark purple hair and a pair of wings of the same color, she wore a dark and white dress that became more tight the higher it went but it didn't cover her shoulders, also despite the design and longitude of the dress it allowed this guardian to move freely; not only the emblem on the chest was present but also on the bottom part of her dress. The last member wore a suit type of clothing that resembled a lot to the white-haired girl; her locks were as red as fire and a ponytail so long that it almost touched her lower back; around her arms were dark-colored vines that looked like some sort of plant formation that grew directly from the clothing.

¨So it appears that we found ourselves with some spectators…¨ The leader first talked, the blonde woman that held the three kids hostage returned with her team and allowing the red haired woman to do the talking ¨Why do you look so afraid? We are not going to hurt you…¨

¨What did you do to the monster?¨ Reginald was the first one to talk, unlike the Star Guardians this team did something completely different to the creatures since they absorbed them.

¨We defeated them and did a public service to the city since they won't be bothering any more civilians¨

¨You think you are like the Star Guardians? You are evil, you don't defeat those creatures you use them for your own gain¨ Taliyah tried to confront Katarina, not a good idea.

The leader walked towards the tanned girl and frowned ¨So the quiet girl made her homework… question is: For how long?¨ Tension grew as the hands were slowly going to the daggers, everyone noticed this but immediately Katarina turned ¨But to be honest, you are not a good person, calling us evil just because our methods differ from the Star Guardians. We are more powerful than them and we do the same thing: eradicate the monsters¨

¨And the Star Guardians are also monsters? You hurt them because you consider them inferior!¨ Taliyah raised her tone, she wanted to defend her friend but from that position it was impossible, her only weapon were the words that came out of her mouth and even then it was useless.

¨You better watch your mouth kid… last thing you want is getting an accident… right, Taliyah?¨ The club members were shocked after Katarina mentioned the girl's name ¨What? You think we don't know you? Scared and little students from Valoran Academy… yeah, we know you¨

¨S-so what do you want from us?¨ Ezreal spoke up, clenching his fists as he feared what might happen to the three of them.

¨Mh… that is a good question¨ Katarina looked to her right hand ¨Maybe…¨ She immediately pulled her blade and closed up the distance to the blond, putting her dagger by the boy's neck ¨We like our activities to be done with as much secrecy as possible and with you three being major witnesses…¨

¨We are not going to talk… we promise¨ The president was the one trying to convince the anti-Star Guardians. He couldn't feel anything else but fear, they were going to get killed right there, sure he wouldn't be dealing with the principal but he still had a lot of things to live for. However all the fear turned into confusion as the red haired woman sheathed the blade and the rest of the girls were laughing ¨W-what?¨

¨Despite you being loose ends, there is no reason for me to kill you, but let me tell you this. If we find you snooping when we are working, you better run, because next time there is going to be a punishment¨ Katarina walked towards Ren this time and looked him in the eyes ¨And you don't want-¨

¨WATCH OUT!¨ The white haired girl yelled as they all looked at the sky and saw a rocket flying in their direction.

The winged woman casted a shield over the three students while the others just retreated; Katarina used her magical abilities to disappear and then reappear at the side of Riven.

The impact cause a huge damage to the ground but thankfully the club members were alive and well, the explosion barely scratched the shield. As they looked up they saw the crazy Star Guardian with a rocket launcher over her shoulder and a pair of wings on her back.

¨I spy with my little eye… A COUPLE OF GIRLS THAT NEED TO BE DESTROYED!¨ Jinx immediately fired another rocket, this time at the anti-Star Guardians but once again they dodged the projectile. After the shield disappeared the students ran to a safe place but not before using their phones to record the entirety of the action. Jinx was the first one to arrive and since she was not patient the girl decided to strike right away, every rocket that hit the ground dealt some severe damage to the landscape ¨You get a rocket, you get a rocket, everyone gets a rocket!¨ The rebel kept yelling as she flew over the park while trying to hit any of the other girls.

As the damage increased, the students had to change directions; Ren was mostly focused on the anti-guardians since it would make sense that the principal had no idea about them. His eyes then would look to the sky and notice the different color trails that were closing in to the park; it was the Star Guardians that would help their crazy friend for this battle. As they landed so did the red haired girl.

¨Well well well, I'm not gonna lie, I was expecting this moment but few days after our first encounter?¨ Katarina said and whistled, calling on her team ¨I'm going to be good for once and tell you to fly away, not you nor me have business here¨

¨This is the only warning, cease all your activities, we can handle the Dark Star¨ Lux tried to settle this situation without using any kind of violence, it was her plan all along but even those kinds of plans fail.

¨Just like you did last time?¨ The enemy leader chuckled and pulled her blades and assumed a combat pose ¨Violence is a solution for many things, we tried to reason with all of you but you seem to fail understand the general picture: You are no longer needed¨

¨Enough chit-chat, fight!¨ Jinx yelled and aimed her minigun at the enemy team, the barrels from the gun started to spin creating a sounds that would indicate the time for negotiations was finally over…

* * *

 **Next episode the battle between two teams! Time to wait for now but good news is that I updated Heroes & Legendsd and will continue to do so in the future; of course my biggest priority in writing would be to actually write the fight chapter first.**

 **Of course this battle will have a problem: Ez, Ren and Taliyah are there so they will have to be careful about where they are aiming if they don't want any innocent people injured.**

* * *

 **No reviews but this chapter is over, hope you enjoy it, don't forget to fav and follow... and a review couldn't hurt... make the author happy... no? Okay, I'm out but as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	21. Chapter 21

After the battle started the students decided to hide but not before taking more pictures and adding more footage to the video. None of the girls would pay attention to them and that would be an issue if they decided to use all their powers as any projectile or ability missed would end up in the club members getting injured or worse.

Considering some of the guardians could fly they took the battle to the skies. Sophie was following Jinx while fighting the winged girl; Lux was facing Katarina as the redhead tried to get close; Poppy was trying to stop Riven as she was far more mobile and deadly than the Yordle; Janna was against the plant woman who was summoning more of her `servants´ while Janna tried to use the winds to cast those creations out. However out of everyone Lulu was the one having more issues, she was being followed by the invisible one and Pix was the one trying to hit her despite missing every projectile.

The rebel and the newest member were dodging some orbs the winged girl was hurling at them; they were successful but Jinx was also trying to fire some bullets at her enemy with Shiro but unfortunately no hits.

¨It seems the Star Guardian has some issues with her aiming; no wonder we are here to replace all of you…¨

¨Oh yeah?! Let's see if you can dodge this!¨ The red haired guardian yelled and swapped her familiars and weapons; with her rocket launcher over her shoulder the crazy girl tried to destroy her opponent but once again the speed of the angel was faster than the rockets and thus they all ended up hitting trees and different parts of the park ¨Can you stand still? I'm trying to destroy you!¨

¨Jinx be careful, there are still innocent people around¨ Sophie pointed at the three students who were at a moderate distance from the battle. The eyes from this guardian also saw the trouble Lulu was in ¨I've got an idea, Jinx¨ She attracted the attention of the rebel ¨Fire on Lulu's location¨

¨Whose side are you on?!¨

¨Just do it!¨

After a few moments of silence the rebel grinned ¨I never knew this side of you 'phie, after all you are the brains along with Lux¨ With a quick turn the flying guardian fired her rocket at Lulu's position; the Yordle didn't see this and when the projectile hit the ground it exploded, sending the small guardian flying to a bush but she wasn't the only one; the invisible woman re-appeared as she was now flying away and against one of the swings, falling unconscious ¨Just what I like, one enemy down!¨

¨Nice shot Jinx, now we need to-¨ Sophie saw one of the orbs from the angel flying at her, she tried to avoid it but she failed. The guardian got captured and the sphere orb turned into a prison that surrounded the horned guardian ¨My wings, I… I can't…¨ She tried to flap her wings but the trap around her impeding any movement from her. ¨I can't believe I'm going to say this: JINX, HELP!¨

The scream attracted the attention of more than one person, but of course Jinx's ears caught it and saw how her fellow guardian was falling to the ground. The rebel flew towards Sophie, falling at high speed so she could catch her partner in time. Jinx embraced Sophie and with her wings she tried to reduce the speed, however they were already at ground level and they both crashed and rolled.

As they laid on the grass they saw Lulu coming towards them ¨Are you okay?¨

¨Yeah…¨ ¨Sophie groaned and saw how the three students were also looking at the two guardians on the grass. Of course she noticed Taliyah but also Ren and Ezreal, she didn't want her friends to get injured ¨You shouldn't be here, it's a dangerous place for students¨

¨WATCH OUT!¨ Jinx yelled and all of the people there saw the orbs heading in their direction. Unlike last time they all managed to avoid them, including the students who ran to a different position ¨I really… really hate her¨

¨We have to stop her from doing that¨

¨But how?!¨ They seemed desperate at first but the smug angel turned from that menacing person into a cute blob with white wings that was slowly falling into the ground ¨What?¨ The two guardians said and saw that behind them the Yordle was still swinging her small staff and with an innocent smile in her face until she noticed Jinx and Sophie looking bad.

¨Huh? What's wrong?¨

¨Um… it's just… thanks Lulu¨ The light green haired girl smiled and stood up, helping her marksman get back up ¨We need to keep going on and help the others¨ The other two guardians nodded as they went to help Janna.

In the meantime, the three club members had enough footage to make an entire movie out of this, however in Reginald's mind he felt happy since he had a lot of material to please the principal and keep himself in the academy for a longer period. Ever since the anti-Star Guardian attacked near them the students moved a couple of more times before ending up in one of the craters made by Jinx's explosions.

¨You think this is a safe place to be? That girl might miss another of her rockets and we are dead¨ Taliyah muttered, looking around for any kind of way to leave the park, it was a surprise that despite all the sound this battle was making no one else was around to record the battle, not even cops or any of the sorts.

¨This is the closest we can get without being literally in the middle¨ Ren answered, taking another picture with his phone ¨This is getting dangerous by the minute… but we have enough to leave¨

¨No¨ Ezreal's answer was not the type the two other kids would expect.

¨Come on Ez, we have a lot¨ Ren got closer to his friend ¨The principal will surely be happy with this¨ This time he whispered, making sure the other club member wouldn't listen.

¨It's not that…¨ The eyes from the blond were focused on the pink haired girl who was facing Katarina; he wanted to do something but there was no way for him to actually intervene in that battle to save the leader from the Star Guardians, however a crazy idea came to his mind. He grabbed one of the rocks that were by the crater and carried with him as he ran away from safety.

¨Ezreal no!¨ The president and the club member yelled as they saw their friend ran away into danger.

The rock the student was carrying was big enough to deal some to cause some damage. As he got closer to Lux and Katarina the boy readied the throw by taking an aiming pose and then the projectile flew from his hand and landed on the side of the head of the crimson haired assassin. ¨Leave her alone you bully!¨

No doubt this took the girl by surprise, she was winning her fight against Lux but this rock changed the tide, even if it was for mere seconds ¨You…¨ Katarina whispered and before switching targets she hit Lux's face with her elbow before kicking the pink haired in the guts and pushing her away. Using her powers the leader of the enemy team dashed and teleported to the side of Ezreal who was now her hostage because she was grabbing him with one arm while the other had a dagger aimed at the student's neck.

While the Star Guardians defeated almost everyone, the only members remaining were Riven and Katarina, the warrior took a step back and stood at the side of Katarina while the leader was now facing everyone with her new toy in front of her.

¨Leave me alone!¨ Ezreal yelled, trying to release himself but whenever he tried to move the tip of the dagger slowly caressed his skin ¨Or perhaps no…¨

¨We told you to leave this place, that you should ran away, but what do you do? You stay there and help my enemies. What should I actually think of that? Was it a mistake? Or are you an ally of the Star Guardians?¨

¨Kat leave him alone, we established not to hurt innocent people¨ Riven was more surprised than the actual guardians but she wouldn't let her guard down.

¨This idiot is not an innocent one, he attacked me and despite our warnings he decided to be a hero¨ Katarina moved her arm to twist the one from Ezreal, making him yelp in pain ¨It hurts, doesn't it?¨ She grinned, enjoying every moment of this torture.

¨Are you so desperate that you are now using civilians as your human shields?¨ Poppy frowned, taking a step forward but this made the two anti-Star Guardians to take a step back ¨We defeated your friends, we outnumber you, surrender now!¨

¨You might've defeated the weaker links of our group, but we can take you down… besides, your leader is also out of combat¨

Without anyone noticing, the pink locks from Lux emerged from one of the craters as she ran towards Katarina. She jumped and raised her fist ¨LEAVE MY BOYFRIEND ALONE!¨ She screamed and hit the red haired on her face, forcing her to lose balance and fall to the ground along with her hostage. As the assassin recovered she found herself with Lux aiming her staff at her and the rest of the guardians closing in on her location ¨In the name of the First Star, give up now!¨

¨Give up? You think you won?¨ Using her abilities Katarina managed to teleport to a safe position on top of the games. After spitting some blood the enemy leader sheathed her blades ¨Tonight you showed me something, you are not as weak as we initially thought… it will be interesting to consume your powers once we finally defeat you… Star Guardians¨ With those grim words Katarina turned and jumped away, leaving the park; the rest of the team also disappeared without any trace.

The two students that were hiding went with Ezreal however it was Lux who helped him up ¨You ok?¨ Said the pink haired with a worried look on her face.

¨Yeah… it must be hard rooting for the Star Guardians when you are facing these kind of enemies¨ The blond chuckled and so did Lux ¨By the way you can… stop holding my hand¨ The two of them looked down and saw how they were still holding them, however when they tried to break this bond they just got closer to each other in an embrace and later their lips touched, closing their eyes and enjoying the moment.

From behind Jinx grunted and turned just to fly away from the scene. The rest of the guardians were somewhat happy, along with the club members who were mostly surprised. ¨Did he just…¨ Ren whispered but Taliyah hushed him so he didn't ruin the moment.

After the two lovebirds broke the kiss their eyes met and Ezreal understood something at that very moment ¨Your perfume… your smile… you… Lux?¨

¨I never expected my first kiss after a hard battle and still using my Star Guardian uniform¨

¨You tell me, I never thought my first kiss would be with one of the guardians¨

¨Lux… I'm sorry to tell you this, but we have to go¨ Sophie felt bad for interrupting the moment but they all had to return to their homes or all of the parents would actually get worried about their disappearance.

¨I'm sorry Ez… wish this moment could last longer¨ Lux looked down but the blond grabbed the chin of the leader and once again dropped a warm kiss on her lips ¨With his could last forever…¨

¨Same…¨ They both split up and Lux started to float, the rest of the team started to fly away but the mage just waited there, looking at her new boyfriend ¨I guess this secret remains with the few of us here… And don't worry, the secret will be safe¨

¨I'm not worried about it, you will all forget everything when we go back to normal¨

¨So that means… the kiss…¨ In this moment Ezreal knew there was a catch, this was all sudden and forgetting everything would be hard, but at the same time the magic from the guardians never failed ¨Will I forget all of it?¨

¨Sort of… but don't worry, I'll come back for you¨ With a cute smile the leader finally turned and flew away, leaving the club members in the now calm battleground.

¨That… was… so… cute!¨ Taliyah said with emotion as she hugged the blond but then she remembered the action he took ¨Don't ever forget that you almost died because of the stupidity you made¨

¨I know I know… but in exchange I saved the day, didn't I… Uh…¨ The head from the two boys started to hurt, they felt strange at the moment but it was even more weird that this effect only lasted a few seconds ¨That was weird…¨

¨Yeah…¨ Ren nodded ¨So… how did it feel? You know… kissing a Star Guardian?¨

¨It felt… great, she had a familiar scent, but I can't put a finger where I smelled it before…¨ He looked at the now darkened sky full of stars ¨Wonder who that girl was...¨

¨You'll find out one day, for now let's get out of here before any cops show up¨ The president and the vice nodded and the three students ran away from the park with their belongings and a lot of footage and pictures from the battle. Ren was certain that everything they collected that night was worth a lot.

* * *

 **Battle, kisses and a sworn enemy, man this had a lot of things. So expect some things to go dark for a lot of people, Ren has a lot of footage for the principal but there is no doubt Katarina will have some grudge with that club, especially since Ez decided to step into save his girlfriend.**

* * *

 **No reviews but got follows and favs, thanks to everyone who still support the story. Maybe I'll release a chapter for this story or maybe for Heroes & Legends, I'm still debating on which one to work on next. Also, next week (or actually two since we are still on Sunday) is my birthday, yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.**

 **But don't let that distract you from the fact that my name is Tourvelix and I'm saying you what I always said for years:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	22. Chapter 22

It was now Friday, the rumors of another group of Star Guardians was slightly appearing on the academy, there was no idea who started it but everyone was certain that it wasn't Ahri since she didn't have any information on this.

Ever since the battle the investigation club started to get the pictures and videos together, Ren would be the one to do this as he was also the one in trouble. With the deadline already set the student went directly for the principal's office, confident that all the information they got would be enough to satisfy the old man, because after all if he was interested in the Star Guardians then he would also have to put an eye on this group that was fighting them.

As the president knocked on the door he heard the voice of the adult on the other side telling him to come in. His air of confidence suddenly disappeared as the principal was looking at him; his entire gaze was menacing enough to scare even the bravest man. Ren sat on the chair in front of the desk and waited until the other person finished writing down something in a notebook.

¨It is Friday… last day of the week as well as your deadline… the true question is: Do you have something of interest for me or should I start filling your expelling papers?¨

Ren smiled, knowing he would actually win this round ¨I do have something, if you allow me to-¨

¨Just hand over whatever you have¨ The principal sighed and grabbed the phone from Ren, he pressed the play button on the video that was already on the screen and started to watch it.

The video depicted the battle between the two groups and how the guardians defeated their opponents. The man was confused at first because he couldn't understand a single bit of the video because of all the movement from the cameraman, however as the minutes went on the picture became clearer for him; the rumors that were circling around the academy were in fact true and this was the evidence he needed, also from the pictures he had a better look of the anti-Star Guardians.

¨When was this? When did you film it?¨

¨Two days ago, we went to the park and got lucky to find these Anti-Star Guardians, we were also even more lucky when the actual guardians showed up¨

¨We?¨ The eyes from the adult went from the video to the student in front of him, making Ren once again uncomfortable.

¨Yes t-the… the investigation club that I'm running, I got help from them¨

¨And they don't know your situation? ¨

¨Not at all, they are all helping me because they are my friends or are interested in the Star Guardians¨

¨Good… if they actually find out about our… deal, you would break your part of it and thus I would be forced to take action¨ He finished saying and continued with the pictures on the phone until he finished them all and gave it back to the owner ¨Interesting…¨

¨So? Does it work?¨ The student took the phone and looked at the adult, expecting that he passed this `test´ however on the inside he felt two things: One that the content he provided was good enough and the second one that it wasn't; his mind couldn't still decide and that was stressful for him.

¨Let's see… you got me video and pictures of the Star Guardians fighting, this new group the… Anti-Star Guardians which I suppose are also students from this academy. Do you know the identity of any of them?¨ He leaned back on his chair, waiting for the response to give him the green light or just the red one.

¨I'm afraid not…¨

¨Mh…¨ The principal stood up from his chair and faced the window ¨Do you know that a second group could cause serious trouble for Valoran Academy; not only those creatures already damaged the infrastructure of our institution but by the looks of your video, the guardians are willing to give it all to defeat their enemies, even if that means destroying their surroundings¨

¨They tried to avoid us, we were actually getting in the middle of it¨

¨Of course they tried, but even if they damage the city the fault would be on us because many people believe the Star Guardians were formed on the academy…¨ He shook his head and turned once more, this time to face the student ¨That is something I will take care of, but for now… you did well, my puppet. Gather more information, one day I will call you for the deadline, but for now stay vigilant because if this is the first time they fight I doubt it will be the last one…¨ The principal raised his hand and pointed at the exit door ¨Now go and leave, I have to finish some paperwork…¨

¨Yes sir… thank you sir¨ Ren immediately stood from his chair and left the room, heading directly to the classroom where the club meeting would be.

…

As he got closer to the club's door he started hearing voices and when he opened the door he saw Ezreal getting interrogated by Talon and Ekko.

¨How did it taste?¨

¨Was she a good kisser?¨

¨Has she transferred any powers to you?¨

¨Come on, you think that's possible?¨ Talon looked at Ekko after he made the other question

¨Of course dude, those Star Guardian powers can probably be transferred with something simple like a kiss… I… I think¨

¨Relax people, I'm still a normal person, no magic powers or any of the sorts¨ Ez turned and saw how Ren was getting close ¨Stuck with all the students going to their clubs?¨

¨Yeah… what were you talking about?¨

¨About the encounter you had with the Star Guardians and their enemies¨ Quinn spoke from her seat, in her hands there was a phone with the same video Ren had in his ¨Gotta say I'm impressed with everything you got, it was dangerous but this is fresh, not even Ahri has it¨

¨We should start our own blog so we can fund this club¨ Ekko suggested, already sitting at the side of Taliyah ¨Just imagine, the Anti-Star Guardians, that could net us some good views. What do you think?¨ He tapped the tanned girl's shoulder who was somewhat distracted.

¨Huh? Um… no, we shouldn't, there's no need to give the enemies of the Star Guardians more fame¨

¨We saw the video, they managed to defeat them so giving those people fame won't be affecting any of the parties… except us of course since we are going to skyrocket in popularity¨ Talon did the same as Ekko only he sat by Quinn ¨And in this place popularity is king… or queen… whatever¨

¨Taliyah is right, despite the guardians defeating these people we should not give them more spotlight; worst case scenario will be people supporting the anti and in the end will try to stop the Star Guardians from doing their actual work which is protecting us from the monsters¨ Quinn tried to also give her opinion as he gave the phone back to Ezreal ¨However this does not mean we will stop with our main purpose of the club which is to investigate¨

¨Look at you! From someone who was just warming the chair a couple of days ago now you are committed to it¨ Ezreal smiled, it was pleasant to see people interested in the club's objective.

¨I already said, I joined this club to be closer to Talon and because I am also interested in the guardians. This club went from nothing to very interesting in two days and if the trend about the ASG continues I will like to look at it¨

¨ASG?¨ The man to her left asked while raising one brow in confusion.

¨Anti-Star Guardians, there's no official name for that team and calling them by their initials seems easier¨

¨Alright alright¨ Ren interrupted the chatter by making everyone go silent ¨We were lucky this time but we need more. There's no doubt the Anti… ¨He sighed ¨The ASG will come back again and thus doing more fights against the guardians, we have to find out where they will fight but at the same time try to decipher their identities¨

¨Wouldn't that be… dangerous? I mean… Ez almost got killed by their leader¨ Taliyah spoke up, she also wanted to dissuade everyone from the actual identity of the guardians.

¨Yeah but he got kissed by the leader of the Star Guardians. Imagine if I also decided to help them, maybe get a kiss from that redhead flying girl¨ Ekko joked but in response he got hit in the shoulder by Taliyah ¨Ow! What's that for?¨

¨It's not funny! That girl was crazy and even shot their rockets to where we were, would you like someone that for you?¨

¨Mh… yeah, you're right. Calm girls are my type¨

¨REALLY?!¨ Taliyah jumped from her seat but as soon as she noticed everyone was watching her the girl decided to sit once again ¨Sorry… I… uh… that's great… yeah¨

¨Anyway…¨ The blond was the one speaking this time ¨We should actually plan out: The members of both teams are probably students from here so we should actually have an eye on every girl¨

As Ezreal kept talking Ren felt his phone vibrate, as he pulled out he noticed he received a message from an unknown number that it was titled `Information about the enemies of the Star Guardians´

 _I saw you the night the Star Guardians and their enemies fought, I also heard about your club's intentions and the deal with the principal so I am willing to give you valuable information to save you. Meet me at the bus stop on Fifth Street on the Piltover district at 6 PM. It is important that you_ _ **go alone**_ _or else I will not show my face, needless to say you must not tell anyone about this message either. Do not try anything out of this, I am watching you, Reginald Miles._

The last part of the message left the student frozen, the fact that this mysterious person knew his name, the club and even that he was during the fight between the two teams was terrifying, he was probably being watched at this very moment. Not only the deal with the principal was already discovered that person was the day of the battle between both teams; Ren was scared as this might lead to more problems, especially if the principal found out.

¨You in this world Ren?¨ Ezreal snapped his fingers, seeing as his friend wasn't reacting to anything before.

¨Huh? What?¨

¨We were talking about looking at some girls, and try to pin down the members of the ASG and the Star Guardians¨

¨Uh… yeah… ok¨ The president nodded ¨Go and do that¨

¨You don't want anyone in particular?¨ But the response the vice got was just a no ¨Alright, we'll just assign some names later; you girls will have it easier since you can get very close¨

And so the club meeting went on, this was the longest one they had and gave Ren the enough time to stay at the academy and wait until it was the time to meet the mysterious person.

* * *

There was a reason why the person from the message asked for a meeting in that place, the bus would not go to that stop after 5PM and thus that area would be somewhat empty, plus it was far away from the academy and almost no one of the students lived there because everyone would be closer to the main streets from the district. The only thing his ears could catch was the sound of the wind crashing against the glass from the bus stop.

He looked at the time in his phone and saw that it was 6:30; thirty minutes and nothing happened, the person wasn't there and he didn't receive any message either, was it a trap? Or just an elaborate prank? All of these questions were immediately answered when his phone vibrated with a new message from the number from before.

 _I see you are interested in what I have to offer. No one followed you and I know you haven't told anyone from the club either, that's good. Remember: No one has to know about this, not now, and definitely not in the future so whatever happens during our conversation stays there. If not there will be consequences._

¨Consequences? What kind of consequences? Is this guy serious?¨ Ren asked to himself as he was typing on his phone the same words.

From one of the branches of the nearest tree the person landed on the ground and walked towards the bus stop. The mysterious person stood by one of the sides as it looked at the students write the message. Once it was sent the stranger looked at it and grinned.

¨The type of consequences that could end up with your death…¨

The brown haired kid immediately raised his head and saw who was there, for him it was impossible but at the same time confusing ¨No… you? But… how?¨

* * *

 **So Ren knows this person, but out of all the characters he met who could it be? There's only one way to find out and that is when his chapter comes because next one will be about Sophie, the SGs and the consequences of the fight.**

* * *

 **Yes, I know tomorrow is April 1st and no, I'm not doing a shitpost chapter for any of the stories, also tuesday is my birthday, yay! No, no birthday chapter.**

 **But at least I'm happy with how this is going, sure it doesn't get as many views, favs, follow and reviews as Heroes & Legends but it's getting somewhere, slow but steady.**

 **And with that I'm out for the night, gonna bail to Steam and play something but until then:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	23. Chapter 23

With the weekend coming and all periods done the last thing that remained in the day was the club. After finishing their gym class both Sophie and Taliyah went into the dress rooms to change back to their uniforms.

Ever since the battle between the two teams, Taliyah skipped a day and went directly to Friday just to talk to Sophie. There was no discussion during classes or recess, it was all kept until the girl confronted her friend before she went to her club meeting.

¨Can we talk about what happened some days ago?¨

¨There is nothing to talk about…¨ Sophie immediately finished the conversation and closed her locker, however her friend stood in her path ¨You do know it's risky if I talk about it¨

¨No one is here, besides you can trust that I won't say anything, nor reveal the deep secrets¨

¨It's not that I don't trust you, I do, but I am afraid _they_ might try to hurt our friends and families since they know our identities¨

¨I can defend myself, you saw how we did it that day!¨

¨First: You weren't the one who tried to save Lux. Second: That almost ended with one of you injured. I am not going to take the risk of you, Ren or anyone to get badly hurt¨ The guardian's eyes went for her friend's arm, she just noticed that from beneath the long sleeved shirt there was something coming out and it wasn't clothing, but a bandage ¨What happened in your arm?¨

¨Um? Oh, it's nothing, just… a little accident I had¨

¨Let me see¨

¨Soph, It's nothing I tell you¨

Let me… see¨ She looked at the tanned girl in the eyes and this one obeyed by removing the button from the sleeve. It was in fact a bandage, as the dark haired girl started to remove it she saw a wound that was closed, it couldn't be classified as `accident´ ¨This… what happened?¨ Taliyah actually felt embarrassed for this next part since she looked away, the gaze from her friend was enough to reveal everything ¨You know that if you don't tell me about this then I can't trust you¨

¨Fine… it was on Wednesday, during the battle. Jinx fired at the invisible girl and… the shrapnel I think flew and left a cut in my arm¨

¨Hold on, let me do something¨ Sophie held Taliyah's arm and focused; her hands starting to glow in the same tone of green as her Star Guardian form and right in front of the girls' eyes the wound was slowly closing and cleaning until there was nothing there ¨There… done¨

¨H-how… wait, can you… use you powers even when you're not transformed?¨ The student was still surprised how the pain from her arm disappear and so did her wound, but something else came into her mind and was how would she actually explain that the injury from the other day was no longer there

¨It's not much, I can heal some wounds but can't do some other things like fly or make a star fall on top of your head¨

¨Wait, you can do that? Really?¨

¨I am still discovering some of my powers for exam-¨ Sophie got interrupted by her phone's sound ¨Give me a minute¨ As she pulled the phone the girl saw a message from Poppy came in.

 _Come to the club, we need help to control Jinx before Lux comes._

¨More Star Guardian business?¨ Taliyah asked as she covered the now healed wound and buttoned the sleeve.

¨Yeah… probably need to avert a crisis¨ The newest member sighed, wondering what was doing Jinx ¨Anyway… I'll talk to you later¨

¨Good luck and have fun¨

¨Trust me… this won't be fun¨

* * *

As Sophie arrived she heard the voice of Jinx already shouting at the rest of the team and as soon as she opened the door the cyan haired rebel looked back at the newest arrival.

¨Ah, here's our tiebreaker¨ The guardian pulled Sophie by the arm and dragged her to the middle of this meeting ¨Come on, tell her not to do it¨

¨Jinx this is unnecessary¨ Lux tried to stop her friend but there was no solution.

¨W-what's going on?¨ The dark haired girl looked at the rest of the team, confused as to what was happening.

¨Oh, it's simple: Lux kissed Ezreal, and that goes against the code of the Star Guardians¨

¨The code?¨ Sophie looked at Jinx, even more confused she didn't remember that rule ¨So… it is against the rules to kiss someone?¨

¨It's more like… Lux is our leader, if her head is focused on something else rather than us then she can't take the role of the leader!¨

¨We know that's not the truth Jinx¨ Poppy commented and then looked at the last person to arrive ¨There is no rule to have a couple, neither is kissing or anything whatsoever. However we should be careful about him, even if I'm on Lux' side¨

¨But Ezreal was with those other people watching the battle, he is harmless, and is definitely not with Katarina and her team¨ Lulu was defending Lux, she knew the group from the other day was far from being dangerous, even if they were the first to get in contact with the enemy team.

¨He is on a neutral ground, or at the very least sided with us, however he is still an innocent and someone who should stay away from these kind of battles¨ Janna also participated ¨I would not be surprised if Katarina and her people would target our closest friends just to try and damage us¨

¨See? It's two votes for Lux to stop kissing Ezreal and two who should keep doing it, which is stupid by the way. 'Phie, what do you think our leader should do?¨

¨I… uh…¨ The eyes from the guardian darted between Lux and Jinx, her answer would definitely create a breaking point in the team ¨Lux should… uh… keep kissing, I mean dating I mean-¨

¨So you want the team to get destroyed by a boy with golden hair?¨ Jinx grunted and turned around ¨Fine… so be it¨ The marksman walked away from the classroom and closed the door with a lot of hatred.

¨I'm going to talk to her, Janna come with me you probably have more experience¨ Lux said and the two girls left the classroom as well, trying to catch up to the rebel.

¨Hey wait for me!¨ Lulu also wanted to help and left, this time leaving Sophie and Poppy.

The Yordle started to clean up the mess Jinx did as she threw papers and moved a lot of the desks everywhere. Sophie tried to do the same.

¨Kinda weird for you to experience all of these things as a guardian now¨ The white-blonde little girl said as she kept moving the desks ¨Mine was mostly fighting against monsters as the team was still getting formed¨

¨I thought all of you joined together with Lux¨

¨Nope, Lux was the first one, then Janna joined as her advisor, then I came and after me Lulu. The last one of the list was Jinx and that brought in more problems¨

¨Let me guess, you were surprised she was a Star Guardian?¨

¨Some of us did, me? Not so much, what mattered the most was if she was able to defeat the creatures from the Dark Star and she did… in her own ways¨ Poppy sighed and sat on the professor's desk ¨To be honest Soph, I had my doubts about you; no offense or anything, by your looks you are a normal person, or at least one that is not crazy; but after the fight with that monster here at the academy I knew you would be of great help to our team¨

¨Sheeez, thanks… glad to know¨ Sophie also sat on one of the desks and looked at the window, from there she could see the rest of the team talking down on the courtyard ¨I just have this question: Do you like being a Star Guardian? I mean, I know you were chosen and all but, after all this time, do you change your mind about this?¨

¨I had my doubts on my first weeks, the weight of the world in the hands of five school girls who had no idea about fighting, much less about math homework¨ They both laughed at this ¨But today… it is completely different, we fought many battles and won, sure maybe the future will be harder but I have a team that has my back and they will know I have their backs as well, yours too Soph. Besides it is a good way for me to relieve stress after a day of having to survive Jinx' chatter¨

¨I know how it feels…¨ The support smiled and looked back at Poppy ¨Guess today's meeting is over, I guess. It was nice talking to you Poppy¨

¨Yeah it was nice, getting to know our newest member¨ As the two of them bid farewell they left the classroom and returned home.

* * *

 **Sophie had many interesting chapters and now it is her time to get to know more about the team, in this case Poppy! Sure the stability of the team may not be the best one right now but in the future they will have to rely on each other to defeat Katarina and her people.**

* * *

 **So next chapter will be Heroes & Legends, no discussion. Until then hope you liked the chapter and until then:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	24. Chapter 24

¨No… you? But… how?¨

This reveal was surprising for Reginald, his mind thought of a lot of people, including the principal but this time it was someone different. The girl that was in front of him was not wearing the uniform for important reasons and had a hoodie that hid most of her face; the dark red eyes gazed upon the president of the club as she sat at his side.

¨I have a lot of questions right now, and surprisingly it's not about the information you know, Riven¨

The white haired girl frowned after hearing her name ¨If you want me to give you information you I have one simple rule before we start: No names¨

¨Fine Riv- girl… although I do wonder why are you helping me, or how do you know of my situation?¨

¨I am a student just like you, I hear rumors, talk to people from the Star Guardian club… you'll be surprised how well informed I am¨

¨Mh… I should be careful next time…¨

¨Or at least advice Ezreal not to be too open about this¨

¨Damnit…¨

¨Anyway… yes, I do know your situation, I saw you during the battle between the Star Guardians and the other team, so I am willing to help you¨

¨But why? You can easily just… go along and let me do my own research¨

¨Call it atonement… I know the people who are part of the enemies of the Star Guardians, I tried to stop what they were doing but no use, they wouldn't listen. So instead I try to help my own way, and that is for you not to get expelled¨

¨Well… thanks… I guess, I am still confused¨ But Ren shrugged ¨Eh, whatever. So we should start, right? First question: Who are the members of the opposing team?¨

¨I can't answer that¨ The other student was about to open his mouth to talk again but Riven was faster than him ¨I hope you understand and respect this decision, I don't know what you or your club is capable of, and I won't risk the people I know for a simple talk like this¨

¨Fine…¨ He grunted ¨Then let's begin with the basics, what is the purpose of that team?¨

¨Originally none, after discovering their powers they wanted to get stronger and thus all those monsters that appear, the Dark Star as the guardians refer to, they consume them to acquire more power¨

¨I see…¨ Ren immediately pulled his phone and started typing a few notes such as the name of the creatures and the reason behind the Anti Star Guardians ¨But why do they fight against the guardians? Why not help them or… well, not fight at all?¨

¨Because the leader thinks the time of the guardians is over, the city should be under the protection of more powerful and more trained people¨

¨So consuming the creatures will make them stronger…¨ The boy remembered something from the last parts of the fight ¨That red haired girl… she said she would consume the guardians, is that possible?¨

¨Wouldn't know, they tried with the monsters so far, is it possible? Maybe, I don't want to be there if that happens¨ Ren kept writing and Riven turned her eyes to the phone screen ¨Are you actually interested in the guardians or is it just because you are in this situation?¨

¨I would say both. Before I got to the academy I heard the rumors of the creatures, of course even today pictures that are posted on the internet can be modified so they look real¨

¨Yeah… Ahri's blog can sometimes be unbelievable¨

¨But on the other hand… The first attack I experienced changed something in me, I was interested in the guardians and knowing all the rumors were true… it was scary. The big one from the last time at the academy got me thinking if there were more dangerous and bigger monsters out there¨

¨I doubt any of the two team would know, but I am certain of something, the leader won't stop until the Star Guardians are killed, consumed, or whatever. Even I doubt they would protect the city… they are getting corrupted by the power¨

¨Ironic…¨ Ren sighed ¨I do hope they don't win, you know… the guardians are doing a good job… besides the Anti Star Guardians have seen Ezreal, Taliyah and me, and to be honest I do fear a bit, especially if they are students¨

¨Don't worry… I will try and protect you, they have one rule and that is not to hurt innocent people´

¨Yeah I don't think Ez got the best end of that deal…¨

¨I know… tried to talk about it to the members but they all follow what the leader says, they were angry after the battle so…¨

¨Mh, I know how that feels… so… how is it that you know they have powers, how did you find out?¨

¨Me?¨ Riven was surprised at this question, she was not prepared for it and had to make um something really fast ¨Uh… like I said I know some of the members and after I found out they gave me two options, either… uh… I died or just… became silent about it, not a single word to anyone¨

¨Really?¨ Ren opened his eyes, knowing that she was in a worse situation than he was made him wonder even more why he received this kind of help ¨So your life is at risk, and yet you talk to me to atone yourself for the problems these people you know do. Seriously, why?¨

¨Like I said: Atonement, maybe one day I will be rewarded for what I'm doing¨

¨Or if they find out you talked to me you'll be a victim of theirs, maybe get consumed!¨ The brown haired was already worried about Riven's situation, even though he would go and try to save himself he now had an additional goal with this information and it was not to get caught and compromise the other student ¨You have to be careful¨

¨I'm not the one who should be careful, I know how to defend myself, it is you who would be up against a team of magical girls, you know, like the ones from anime and manga¨

¨Wait, you read manga?!¨ This change of subject shifted the entire conversation from something secretive and serious to the complete opposite ¨You… don't look like the type of person who is into that¨

¨It wouldn't be surprising, I look tough and can sometimes cause some fear on people. I do have hobbies of my own, hobbies… that not a lot of people know… and they shouldn't¨

¨But watching anime ain't that bad!¨

¨It is if your friend is Katarina, she hates those kind of things and will probably look at me differently if I told her about this secret hobby of mine¨

¨Don't worry¨ Ren placed a hand on Riven's shoulder ¨That secret… along with all of these things¨ He raised his phone ¨Are all in good hands, if the club ever makes a blog or something about the Star Guardians, don't worry your name will never appear there¨

¨Thanks Reginald…¨ She stood up and looked at both sides ¨If anything comes up I will contact you, not the other way around; we never met, you never saw me. We never had this conversation and anything you think I said… I didn't say and you were delusional. Remember that¨ She started to walk away, making sure to avoid any person she came across with but before getting too far she turned around ¨Stay safe!¨

¨Yeah you…¨ He shouted but then noticed she was already far away and raising his tone would do nothing but to attract unnecessary attention ¨…to¨ Ren whispered this last part.

The student was now alone, again. He stood up and started to walk on the opposite direction from Riven until he got to the main street, from there he walked all the way to a bus stop and waited for a transport to appear.

¨Ren?¨ A familiar voice struck the president's ears, when he turned he smiled after seeing his old friend.

¨Soph what are you doing here so late?¨

¨I could ask you the same¨

¨I did first…¨ They both chuckled.

¨Fine… I came from Poppy's home to pick up some stuff from the club that I forgot. Now you¨

¨I… was walking around… looking at stores and everything¨ Sophie nodded, his lie was a success ¨I don't know about you but this week has been disastrous for me!¨

¨I could say the same¨ The dark haired girl answered and leaned back on her seat.

¨I got in the middle of a battle between the Star Guardians and a group that we call the Anti Star Guardians¨

¨Yeah I know… I saw you¨

¨What?¨

¨I… uh… I mean… uh… Taliyah showed me a video and told me everything. You shouldn't be in such a dangerous place!¨ The Star Guardian wanted to scold his friend but all she got was some smiles and chuckles from him ¨Hey! I'm being serious right here¨

¨But what's the point of being safe and everything when my club is focused on the Star Guardians!¨

¨I know I know…¨ Soph's smile disappeared ¨I feel like ever since we got into the academy we had less and less time for each other, we barely talk and now we are all busy with stuff. You with your investigations and me fighting the-¨ Ren swiftly looked at his friend after she said that ¨The… the exams… they are pretty much around the corner¨

¨Yeah… I should start preparing them¨

The bus arrived and the two kids stood up ¨Alright time to go home, had an awful week and I need some rest¨

¨Me too…, and I'm afraid the coming weeks will not be good for us…¨

* * *

 **So we know who the mystery contact is, let us all hope Kat doesn't find out about this secret meeting or both Riven and Ren (especially the latter) will be in trouble. The coming weeks will be hard for the two of them because of the exams, but the Dark Star does not care for exams or an adversary team.**

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter, I'm off to bed but not without saying to you:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	25. Chapter 25

With the new week, the Star Guardians were extremely careful; on the one hand they had the enemy guardians stalking them, the idea of getting attacked in the middle of class or anything was still there. However, on the other was the exams that were that same week and everyone was occupied so if any monsters appeared they would be in trouble.

During the first recess Taliyah was talking to Sophie, trying to avoid the Star Guardian topic since they feared someone might be hearing, especially Jinx because she was still on her seat, doing nothing but chewing gum and twirling some pencils in between her fingers.

But the conversation between the two girls ended quickly when the small white-blonde haired Yordle appeared ¨Soph have you received the message?¨

¨Uh… no…¨ The dark haired looked back at Taliyah then at her partner ¨Didn't receive anything¨

Poppy frowned and looked to her right and saw the light blue ponytail that was swinging around. The tiny one pulled it and of course this attracted Jinx's attention since she was now forced to look at the Yordle and her support ¨Why didn't you tell her about the birthday?!¨ She quickly talked and tried to sound angry but for the rebel she just smiled and used the little one's head as a support to get back on her chair.

¨I mean… what's the matter Pops? She would know it eventually¨

¨Can you take something seriously? Last year you did the same!¨

¨And yet she had a wonderful time, we all won¨

¨But right now we have a bigger matter at hands with-¨ Poppy turned her eyes towards Taliyah before saying anything else; she then decided to look back at Sophie ¨Can you please come out?¨

Out in the hallway the two girls tried to find a place to talk, the latest member knew what kind of topic they would be discussing but at the same time she was curious about the birthday thing Poppy and Jinx talked about ¨So…¨

¨Right¨ The Yordle sighed and sat on the ground while her tall friend did the same ¨Even though this is Exam's week and we have the other team on our backs, this Friday is Lulu's birthday and we all planned a surprise party for her on the Literature Club¨

¨Wait, why didn't I knew this before?¨

¨Well Lux and Janna were busy with the studies for the exam, I was drowning in homework and notes during the weekend, Lulu… well she is the birthday girl, so we trusted the task to Jinx¨

¨Ok so… let me get this straight: You told Jinx… out of anyone in this universe, to tell me about this party?¨ Poppy was about to speak but Sophie interrupted talking once again ¨Also we still have the group chat that I made but no one barely talks except Lulu and Lux sometimes¨

¨Ok first, it was our mistake to give this task to Jinx; second we used to have a group chat way before you joined, but things happened went out of control when our mutual crazy companion was tagging all of us at 3 in the morning just to wake us up or clutter the entire chat with pictures of her destroying things¨

¨Uh… ok? So what's this about the birthday party?¨

¨Oh yeah, we're going to need to get a lot of things: Balloons, some confetti, things to hand on the walls, flowers¨

¨Flowers?¨

¨Yeah she likes those, purple ones are her favorite. We also need a cake, Lux already made one last year so we can count her on that¨

¨Ok so what do I need to do? What do I get?¨

¨Everything¨

After hearing this Soph just snapped, she had exams and a group of evil girls trying to kill her so doing this alone was a no-go for her ¨Are you serious?¨

¨No it was all a joke- Of course we have to get everything. We'll just go back home after classes and then we'll go to the mall and find some place that sell party stuff¨

¨Alright, we'll talk over on the phone, ok?¨ Poppy nodded and the two of them went to their respective classrooms.

* * *

Sophie found her way into the mall and waited for the Yordle there; she was sitting on a bench taking a look at her phone and holding it was almost 6 PM and Poppy told her they'll meet 5:30, being half an hour late was just a waste of time but at the same time the support was afraid something happened to her partner, in times like these they cannot be too relaxed about anything but she made a promise in regards to Lulu's birthday.

From the bag she was carrying there was some movement until the head of Shisa came out to get some air ¨Finally, I was suffocating inside of that thing!¨

¨I thought familiars didn't need air, or food, or water… or anything to be honest¨

¨Just because we don't need any of those it doesn't mean… it doesn't… mh¨ The small creature grumped which made the guardian smile ¨I don't like waiting here in the open, you made a promise that's true, but you could use this time to study or to perfect your abilities¨

¨The first wave of exams are on Wednesday until the weekend, I will dedicate the entire of the day to studying once I get back home, especially tomorrow¨ Sophie held the ice cream come close to the bag so her familiar would have a taste ¨I didn't knew you were so into red bean ice cream¨

¨It's not my fault you humans created these kind of things that are so… delicious¨

¨Shisa I need to ask you this. Am I the first guardian you were assigned to?¨

¨Yes… all familiars are created by the First Star to protect and guide their guardian, there were many before me and I'm sure there will be more in the future; Star Guardians aren't eternal, they either die serving the First Star or just get to a point where their lives rend them unusable for the kind of task they were given in the first place¨

¨But Janna is kind of immortal, isn't she?¨ Sophie wondered since during some conversation Janna stated she was thousand years old, despite her figure¨

¨That's because she is the last of her kind; an entity created from a star and given shape by the First One to become a protector. Most of this team you are on now is composed of human girls, human being the key word here since you all have a limited life¨

¨I'm still wondering, why would the First Star choose the likes of Katarina and her people to become a team… I mean, they don't even look like us¨

¨That's a question I've been pondering for a while; they don't look like Star Guardians but have similar powers. Maybe their source of powers don't come from the same place as yours and it might be something different¨

¨Is that even possible? Magic was never a thing in this world and even if it was, the only use it had was for entertaining kids¨

¨While it may sound impossible, we've all seen that is not true, so there is no doubt _something_ is happening. You should share this idea with the rest of the team, just in case¨

¨Yeah I know…¨ Sophie raised her head and saw the Yordle coming in fast ¨There she is¨ The guardian stood up and pushed the head of Shisa inside of the bag ¨What took you so long, I've been waiting here for a long time!¨

¨Sorry, there was a lot of traffic and the bus had to take a detour¨ Poppy was wearing a shirt with a pair of shorts and shoes, not the most suitable outfit for the last days of summer ¨Alright, so if I'm not mistaken the party shop should be on the upper floor¨

As they travelled the mall they found their desired shop; from there the girls started to flll up the cart with bags of balloons, colored banners and even a piñata. The entire place was quite empty and only few customers were there, this gave Sophie some time to ask questions, especially since no one would be near to eavesdrop.

¨Poppy… Shisa and I've been thinking about the other team…¨

¨Do you _really_ want to talk about that here?¨

¨You're the closest one I have right now. Just think about this: The enemy team has powers, maybe not like ours but they are certainly on a same degree of `magical´, don't you think?¨

¨Well… yeah, I don't think using swords, teleporting or even summoning plants to try and kill people count as normal¨

¨Yeah, however they don't look like us, their outfits are different; would you actually think the First Star sent this team to help us?¨

Poppy stopped for a second, thinking about this ¨I'm not going to deny that they are different but the First Star idea was something I did not thought at the moment, not even now. It is sketchy¨

¨Exactly, what if their powers come from somewhere else? Like… uh… I don't know, you know what I mean, right?¨

¨It could be anything to be honest, maybe not on Earth but out there on space are many things we barely understand, the First Star is a powerful entity, _our_ source of powers, maybe there are other entities that too have a lot of power and need their protectors¨

¨How about the Dark Star?¨

¨We fought its minions for quite a while, even before you joined and it never used humans or any of the like, besides Kat and her people would look like monsters, wouldn't they?¨

¨Yeah… that does make sense, anyway do we have everything?¨ The two girls looked at the contents of the cart and they were happy about it ¨Yeah, seems like it, let's pay this up and go back home¨

* * *

 **It is time the guardians dig more about the Anti Star Guardians, and of course they won't be the only ones since Ren will also be on the lookout for more info with his new contact; also more time for Poppy and Sophie as well as an incoming birthday for Lulu but don't tell anyone to her about it!**

* * *

 **Chapter done, I'm back to the writing board, There should be 2 more chapters before writing some more Heroes & Legends. **

**But until then I'm out but not before I bid my farewells like this:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	26. Chapter 26

During lunch the constant voices of the people were not a distraction for the club president who was writing down a few things in a notepad; he was alone but not for long since two more people decided to join him.

¨Still working with the information that person gave you?¨ The blond boy was smiling, leaning over to see what his friend wrote ¨That sure is a lot…¨

¨Can I see it?¨ Taliyah asked as he grabbed her plastic fork to get some of the beans in her meal.

¨Mh… not yet, I have to write these down and make the connections¨ Ren just kept on working on the notepad, ignoring his food ¨Some things do not make sense…¨

¨Can you tell us who your `contact´ is?¨

The brown haired slightly looked up, his eyes trying to find the white haired girl and on one of the tables, almost on the opposite side of the cafeteria was her. Riven was with Katarina and some other girls from different groups; could they be the rest of the team? Certainly Katarina would fit a role in there but not only he wanted to preserve his life but to keep the secrecy of his contact. By the time the other two club members decided to look in the direction their president was looking he just directed his vision back to the notepad ¨Sorry, but it's a secret¨

¨Then you want us to go and ask every person in this academy about having any relation to you?¨ The blue eyes from the boy just went to the different people in the cafeteria, mostly girls ¨How about…¨ He stopped at the girls from the Literature Club, especially on the raven haired one who was already a close friend of Ren ¨How about Sophie? You are already close so she might be your contact, she might know something about the ASG; maybe even be a member of it?¨

¨What? No! That's impossible, Soph would never be part of that team¨ Taliyah defended her friend, aiming with her fork at the blond.

¨And how can you be so sure about it, mh?¨ Ezreal smiled.

¨Because… uh…¨ Reginald also looked at the tanned girl who was getting slightly nervous ¨Well first, she's my friend, I would know. Second, she is innocent… pure… there's no way she can be one of those evil guardians or something. You know her more than I do Ren¨

¨Yeah I guess you are right, Soph can't be part of that team… maybe…¨ Ren raised his pen to the chin ¨Maybe she's a Star Guardian? Along with the entirety of the Literature Club¨

¨W-wait… a-are you serious?!¨

But he remained silent and just chuckled in the end ¨Nah, I know Sophie, she would tell me such a big secret¨

¨But would you tell us if that was the case?¨

¨Wouldn't know… besides you should be the one that would have more information about the Star Guardians, you kissed their leader!¨

¨Just because I… we kissed that day it doesn't mean I know everything about it! Besides I haven't received any clue or anything that I would be meeting with her again for a talk or anything¨ Ezreal defended himself, after that kiss he got many questions from all of the members of the club, they also wanted to keep that thing a secret for the sake of the blond's privacy, especially if he wanted to take on his crush ¨Anyway you should eat, we have two more periods before the club¨

¨Yeah… I guess¨ Ren sighed and put his stuff away just so he could eat; it wouldn't make a difference writing everything now or later, his theories were still there and by the looks of it those wouldn't abandon his mind for now.

…

After the two periods passed the club reunited again, only this time it was the same three people that were on the park during the battle between the two teams, the rest were on their own clubs or already went home. Ren was the spokesman of this meeting as he was mentioning all of his theories, some of them were accepted while the others were just mere jokes to the other two students.

¨Have you heard yourself?¨ Taliyah laughed ¨While it _would_ make sense the guardians learned how to aim somewhere, don't you think they would be in a gun range rather than the archery club?¨

¨The academy doesn't have a gun club or the sorts, so the best bet would be archery¨

¨That doesn't make sense, none of the members of both team use bows; besides how do we know their powers don't give them the… knowledge of how to fire those weapons?¨ Ezreal countered, once again sinking Reginald's theory.

¨Well… maybe… uh…¨ The president started to go through his notes, trying to counter with another theory ¨Probably they… uh…¨ The boy did nothing but to feel frustrated; even if Riven gave him some information these theories could prove nothing; this also made him think whether the white haired was actually telling him the truth or just playing.

¨Ren come on, don't feel bad. You put effort in these and I'm sure some of them are quite true but right now we are back to square one. If only you could tell us about the person who gave you information, then we might also help you with this… theorycrafting of yours¨

¨I said I can't, I promised not to tell anyone, for my safety and that person's too¨

¨You know we are trustworthy, we are not going to-¨ Ez got interrupted when his phone vibrated, he then put all of his attention to the screen rather than on the conversation he had.

¨He is right, we will remain silent with this; whoever is your contact can be safe that we will not spill any information or any of the sorts, he… or… she will not have any problems¨

¨OH!¨ Ezreal immediately stood up from his chair ¨I-I-I… I.. Lux sent me a message, she wants to talk to me behind the bathroom area near the track course¨

¨Wait… really? What could she want?¨ The other two students looked at each other, this was sudden.

¨I don't know, maybe some help with maths… or… I don't know¨

¨First: You are bad at maths, I often need to help you¨ Ren commenced, trying to keep his friend in the classroom ¨Second what if Lux is actually part of the ASG and she plans to attack you or anything?¨

¨I can defend myself, besides if the Star Guardians are also people from the academy they would help me, right? After all their leader loves me¨ He grinned and walked towards the exit but both Taliyah and Ren blocked his path ¨I will be fine… you worry too much¨

¨Ez, you're my friend, and you should listen to me¨

¨Yeah we don't want to lose you, besides I don't want to be the vice-president of this club if something were to happen to you¨

¨Wait what?¨ Ren immediately turned to Taliyah.

¨Trust me… for once… ok?¨ The blond gently pushed his two club-mates to the side and left the classroom.

It was a moment of silence, Reginald and Taliyah looked at the door for a couple of minutes until they decided their next course of action ¨We are going to follow him, right?¨ He asked and the girl nodded in response.

¨He almost got himself killed during the battle, I trust Lux but I'm also scared that it might be a trap¨

¨Right, let's go¨

…

They gave Ezreal some advantage and tried to follow him without the blond noticing, taking cover behind columns and even trees when they were in the courtyard. Taliyah knew what Lux might be doing but considering there was a war right now between the two teams, the idea of one of the ASG stealing the leader's phone just to lure Ezreal out was one of her theories that she wished it wasn't true.

The two students had to stop their chase the moment Ezreal decided to go into the bathroom, giving them some time to reposition or even to spot any suspicious activity, however Ren decided to do something else.

¨Say… I don't know much about you Taliyah¨

¨So?¨

¨I don't know¨ He shrugged ¨You are part of my club and I want to get to know everyone if possible, I feel like Soph told you a lot of things about me… or maybe not¨

¨You've been friends with her for many years, come from the same school, you like maths and plan to become a scientist in the future, engineering is your second option and flying your third. You like winter and your favorite sport is baseball, too bad the Academy doesn't have a club for it… or an area to practice it´

¨Maybe she told you too much…¨ Ren grunted, keeping his eyes on the bathroom but Ezreal was still inside ¨Probably the lunch… yeah… maybe that's why he takes so long there¨ The brown haired then switched to her partner ¨Well it is clear you know stuff about me… more than I imagined, how about you? Family? Likes? Dislikes?¨

¨Family… that's a hard question¨

¨What? Your parents are divorced?¨

¨More like… I never knew them¨ Reginald widened his eyes ¨I am adopted, or well, my adoptive parents found in a corn field, they took me in and… the rest is history¨

¨You come from a family of farmers?¨

¨Sort of, that family used to live on the city before moving to a farm to have a calm and quiet life. I learned to live like that, to live from the land and all that; had to attend to a rural school until I decided to apply to the Academy. I got accepted but going from the farm to the city would take two hours, maybe three. The whole transportation would take a lot of time so my parents supported me and we moved to the city, and ever since I live in the Shurima district¨

¨Must've been hard to be away from the city¨

¨Not really, I liked the farm, helped my family there. I wouldn't mind returning there, but with my studies the best option is this place. Thankfully I found friends, I am part of a great club and we're also doing stuff that is related to the Star Guardians… sort of¨ Taliyah looked up and saw the blond leaving the bathroom, his hand on his belly ¨There he is… and… not so good it seems¨

¨Maybe he'll think twice not to eat fish here. Come on, he's getting away¨

Eventually their chase led them to the vice-president finding the girl that was waiting for him. The eyes of the two students were fixated here, looking from a safe distance so none of the golden haired would notice them.

¨What do you think is happening?¨

¨They are talking… but if we get close they'll notice…¨ Taliyah slightly looked up and saw something she wouldn't expect at that moment. Above the bathrooms, the dark skinned girl saw two girls, one of them a Yordle with blue hair while the other a human with turquoise hair and wings; she definitely recognized who the latter was and just like them they were spying on the two students on their private meeting ¨Oh no…¨

¨Mh? What what's wrong?¨ Reginald was about to look up but he got distracted by Taliyah.

¨Look at Ez, he's doing something¨

¨I don't see…¨ But in mere seconds all of them saw this. Lux lunged forward and hugged Ezreal so their lips could touch. Taliyah left a happy sigh while Ren was confused ¨Wait… this… could be a problem¨ The girl slightly looked to her side to hear what the president had to say ¨What if the leader of the Star Guardians finds out about this? Ez would be in serious trouble¨

¨I think he'll be fine… Come on, there's nothing else to do here¨

¨Yeah… we're just butting in to a couple's private moment¨ The two students walked away from there and returned to the classroom ¨Taliyah I have been wondering… Are **you** a Star Guardian?¨

¨No… and even if I was, why would I tell you?¨

¨Just asking…¨

* * *

 **And the true golden-haired couple is now formed, we'll hear more from them in the next chapter since Sophie and Poppy were very close to them. Also I'll try to add more background and bonding between Ren and the rest of the members of the club, of course some will have more background/bonding in the future but that is not a topic to talk right now.**

* * *

 **Chapter done, next one will be Sophie and then Heroes & Legens. Right now it's kind of a rest moment in the story as I'm preparing the next conflict for both OCs, but for now, I'm out, hope you have a great weekend and as always**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	27. Chapter 27

With lunch the entire team was already together, all of the Star Guardians were in their own table. Lux, Sophie and Jinx had their eyes focused on the group that was also looking back at them. Meanwhile Janna, Poppy and Lulu were on their own business, especially the latter who was only thinking in her birthday.

Soph's eyes then switched to another small group in this big room; the other table had Taliyah, Ezreal and Ren, Lux noticed this and put her hand on her friend's shoulder ¨They are safe… don't worry¨

¨Are they?¨ The latest member looked back at the leader ¨The entirety of the other team knows who they are, I don't want to carry the burden of having my closest friend injured or worse because of our mistakes¨

¨They wouldn't hurt innocent people, the only reason Kat attacked him was because she was taunted¨

¨And now that you kissed that stupid boy he might be even more in danger¨ Jinx butted in, still remembering the fight, and the kiss more than anything ¨For the record, I won't go and save that blond if my life depended on it¨

¨Ok Jinx, what's the deal with you and that kiss? Ever since it happened you've been annoyed all the time. Did you have a crush on Ezreal and Lux stole him from you?¨ Sophie asked, trying to push the rebel to tell the truth.

¨N-no…¨

¨Then what?¨

¨I… I…¨ Jinx stuttered, she didn't knew what to say, instead the girl immediately left the table and ran from the cafeteria.

The entirety of the team was displeased with Jinx' attitude, Lux and Lulu decided to go and help while Janna, Poppy and Soph remained on the table ¨Seriously, what is wrong with her?¨ The newest member asked but she had no idea as the other two guardians looked at each other ¨Are you not going to tell me?¨

¨Meet me at the club after classes, I'll explain you everything¨ Poppy said and continued eating.

¨Why not now?¨ But the dark haired did not receive any response from it, instead she grunted ¨Fine…¨

…

After all the periods finished Sophie was waiting in the classroom, alone, waiting for Poppy to come. She had to wait 20 minutes until the Yordle arrived ¨Will I finally get some answers now?¨

¨Sit¨ The girl had to obey and sat on the nearest desk she had, Poppy did the same but on the one to Sophie's right. With a sigh the small guardian began this long talk ¨Do you want the short version or the long one?¨

¨The one that can actually give me an answer¨

¨Long one it is… Well… you know Jinx and Lux are friends for a long time, yes?¨ The dark haired nodded ¨They were friends even before we all formed as a team, before Lux even got into the academy. Despite how Jinx might be she likes to keep her friends close, and losing the only person that has ties to her childhood would destroy her¨

¨So Jinx wants to protect Lux… correct?¨

¨Correct, however… I overheard a conversation, the year before you joined… well… uh… last year, they were talking, about their plans for the future but there was also another topic they discussed; Lux's interest in Ezreal. Jinx once again acted the same, she was unsure, and decided to confess to her friend¨

¨That she liked Ezreal?¨

¨No you dummy! Jinx likes Lux… like… love… true love¨ Soph's face went pale, there was absolutely no idea that could've been a possibility, Jinx was a rebel but deep inside it was still a mystery for her, now that she knew this secret the guardian wouldn't be able to see the crazy woman the same way as before ¨Sophie? Are you there?¨

The black haired blinked twice, returning back to the rational world ¨I… this is… unexpected. Does the rest of the team know?¨

¨Janna does, we agreed not to tell Lulu as she might be sharing that secret with people outside of the group, and now that you know I hope you don't share it with anyone else, especially with Lux and Jinx¨

¨But… how are they now? Still friends?¨

¨They probably are, maybe Jinx will have to get over the kiss, we are still a team and even in our darkest moment she didn't abandon us¨ Poppy looked at the window and sighed ¨However things are different nowadays, you joined the team and Jinx acted different from usual, maybe she hasn't got over your presence yet¨

¨You think she hates me?¨

¨Don't know, Jinx got used to the five of us, being a team and defeating the Dark Star whenever we could, but when you joined she had some discussions with Lux, how you shouldn't be with us because it would break the harmony of the team and such. Kinda surprising that she knew those words¨

Sophie stood up and walked to the window, looking at the courtyard ¨Poppy… am I a problem to the team?¨

¨No… all of us appreciate what you did, you are a great addition and everything¨

¨I need to know because- Wait¨ The girl's eyes focused on someone in particular in the courtyard, the long golden hair from their leader ¨What is Lux…¨ As she raised her eyes the guardian saw also the blond from last time, the boyfriend who was getting into the bathroom ¨Did Lux tell you she was going to meet with Ezreal?¨

¨No… why?¨ Poppy stood up after her curiosity won the best of her. After seeing the same thing the couple the two guardians looked at each other ¨I'm thinking about something…¨

¨That we shouldn't spy on her intimate talks with her boyfriend¨

¨Yeah you're right…¨ Poppy climbed out of the desk and picked up her stuff but as soon as she decided to leave the classroom the guardian saw a light green light behind her; as she turned Sophie has already turned into her special form ´Wha-¨

¨We're going to make sure she's ok while talking to Ez, she won't notice us… _no one_ will see us. You coming?¨

¨No…¨ But Poppy grinned and transformed right in the spot ¨Now yes, let's go¨

The two guardians opened the window and immediately decided to seek for shelter on the ceiling of the bathrooms, making sure Lux wouldn't notice them. After waiting there for some minutes the blond came out of the bathroom and went to were Lux was, however Sophie noticed something as she looked to the left and it was that both Ren and Taliyah were spying on their friend.

¨Sorry I got late… was stuck in… traffic¨

¨Traffic? In the academy?¨ Lux chuckled ¨I'm glad you decided to come¨

¨Hey it's been a while since we could talk like this, besides there was something I wanted to tell you, a secret that I'm not sure if you heard about it¨ The leader tilted her head, wondering at what that secret was ¨I… I was in a battle between the Star Guardians and a different team that wanted to kill them; by the end I decided to help the guardians and I became a hostage from the other people, but their leader saved me and then she…¨ Ezreal gulped, knowing the next part was going to be hard, especially if he was going to tell it to his crush ¨She kissed me¨

¨What?¨

¨I... I'm sorry, I kissed her back just by pure instinct but… that's not what I wanted… the truth is…¨ At this moment Ezreal's cheeks were as red as blood.

¨Let me help you¨ Lux smiled and leaned forward, holding the hands of Ezreal and kissing him on his lips; the guardians were able to see from above the scene and Sophie was excited considering this was their `official´ first kiss without involving the Star Guardian transformation. After their lips departed Ezreal looked more confused than ever ¨B-but I… I kissed the leader of the-¨ The index from the girl hushed the voice of her boyfriend.

¨I don't mind, in fact that's an actual story that you can tell me one day, how my… beautiful partner that I have a crush on stole a kiss from the leader of the famous guardians¨

¨Well it's not that I stole a kiss from her but-¨ That was the moment he noticed ¨Did… did you just say you have a crush on me?¨ And she nodded in response ¨Guess there is no point in hiding it now… ironic… you have a crush on me and I have one on you, well I don't think it is ironic but… you get the point¨

¨You want another kiss, don't you¨

¨You know I do…¨ And thus the two of them hugged as the distance between their mouths disappeared and the lips went in contact once again. As they broke everything the lovers looked at each other with a smile on their faces ¨You staying at the academy?¨

¨No, I was about to go home¨

¨Mind if I go with you?¨

¨I wouldn't ask it any other way… but not now, I want to enjoy this moment¨ Lux once again hugged Ezreal and allowed her head to rest on his shoulder as she closed her eyes and with a smile.

The two guardians on top of the bathrooms decided to fly away without anyone noticing, they headed for the rooftop of the academy and de-transformed there. From that point the two girls took different paths and went back to their homes, happy as a new couple was formed but at the same time the thought of Jinx not liking this idea for many reasons was very present and hoped that in future combats that didn't mean she would abandon the team.

* * *

 **It's been a while since I posted anything, so here's a new chapter! I've been busy... life, games, college, a friend asking me to write a birthday fic (to which I never offered, she just threw it in and there was no way I could refuse or else I would look like a bad guy) but in the end here it is.**

 **Also, new Dark Star skin for Cho'Gath is giving me some interesting ideas for the future...**

* * *

 **Chapter done, I'm off to think the next chapters, not sure what to do next but I'll probably pull something out of the hat and write it, until then this was Tourvelix and bidding you farewall with this always warm message:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	28. Chapter 28

A long time has passed, with the passing months the academy went through four exam periods but for the Star Guardians this only meant more trouble since the attack from the creatures continued and so did their encounters with the Anti Star Guardians. Most of these conflicts ended up with the other team winning by consuming the minions from the Dark Star while, a win in a way as the monsters were wiped away but with the other girls becoming more powerful the Star Guardians feared there will be a time where they won't be able to stop Katarina and her team.

The cold Autumn was slowly replaced by Winter, it would take probably another month before snow starts falling but the freezing temperatures were already hitting the entire city, the classrooms and the hallways were warm and full of students while the courtyard was only a place for those who could withstand the cold temperatures. The hours went on, the hordes of students moved between classrooms and the different parts of the academy in order to begin with the clubs' schedule.

The number 206 on the door hid the guardians inside of the classroom who were having their usual discussion about both the academy itself and their main problem which was the Anti Star Guardians.

¨We need to act now!¨ Poppy slammed her fist against the desk, frowning at the rest of the team.

¨It's not that simple, the moment we decide to attack them directly then we would start a war that will not stop until one falls¨ Lux was sitting on her desk, her mind was conflicted because of this issue but also because she fears the battles might end up in a collateral damage that will affect her relationship with the golden haired boy.

¨Then what's the point of waiting? If we strike now they'll have a hard time recovering from a surprise attack¨ Jinx was probably the one that held the most hatred against Katarina and her people, especially the leader because she kept bullying the rebel in the academy, at her sides both Shiro and Kuro were looking at her ¨We could drop a star bomb in their lockers so when they open it: BOOM!¨

¨We have to avoid injuring any other students in the process, we know they won't care about the safety of others but we have to be different from them, we are the good people¨ Janna was always the advisor in these kind of situations and her job became more troubling lately as more encounters appeared; Zephyr was on the teacher's desk along with Pix and Lulu.

Sophie however remained silent through this entire conversation, in her arms her familiar which was observing the rest of the guardians discussing ¨You must deal with those girls sooner or later¨ The creature whispered only for the latest member to hear it ¨There's also the Dark Star which has gotten a bit stronger lately¨

¨We can defeat those creatures but the others… we either need to get stronger or improve as a team¨ Sophie was also conflicted, she heard from Taliyah that the investigation club was going well and that was because Ren decided to watch some of the battles, just like the first time he was in danger of getting hit by any spell or projectile that didn't land where it should; she warned him not to continue but he went on nonetheless, any further attempts would just raise suspicion. The healer raised her familiar and looked at Shisa in the eyes ¨What do you think we should do?¨

¨You said it yourself, either increase your power or work together as a team¨

¨Maybe… if we do the same as the other girls? Consume the Dark Star to-¨ But the guardian got slapped by the small lion, even though it was a gentle caress but the intention was still there.

¨You are a Star Guardian, you have no idea what the effects of consuming a creature would do!¨

¨Soph?¨ The familiar and the sable haired girl looked at the rest of the team who were now focused on the latest member ¨What do you think of all this?¨ Lux asked, everyone gave their opinions and the girl was the only one who didn't give an answer.

Her mouth opened, but her eyes went from the blonde to the cute creature in her hands then back at the leader ¨We… we shouldn't… right now we can't face Katarina and her people in this state, they got stronger but we need to do the same; without consuming those creatures that is¨

¨Mh, you're right, we'll have to start a training regime once again, act as a team because that is the only way we can defeat them¨ Lux stood up and looked at everyone ¨I guess that is everything, we are all dismissed¨

The entire team grabbed their stuff and left the classroom; Poppy and Lulu left together while Janna decided to wait in the academy for her boyfriend, Jinx ran away while both Sophie and Lux also left together.

As the two guardians were talking someone was following them from the dark, a mysterious figure that was yet to be noticed by the girls. They were getting closer to the main entrance of the academy but before they could leave a familiar (yet loud) voice cut their conversation and turned not only to see the rebel but also the person that was following them.

¨Why are you interested in following my fellow club members, eh?¨ Jinx frowned, although with a sarcastic tone in her voice as she positioned herself at the side of Lux. The stalker was a girl from first year, blonde hair that reached to her shoulders, a very tidy uniform, with green eyes that were typical from her family ¨And who are _you_ supposed to be?¨

¨The other member of the Du Couteau family… Cassiopeia¨ Lux commented, frowning at the presence of this new girl.

¨Du Couteau? Ain't that…¨ Sophie wondered as that surname was not the first time she heard about it.

¨Oh yeah… Katarina's sister¨ Jinx smiled and nodded but for few seconds as a look of anger appeared in her face again ¨What do you want, _snake_?¨

¨I wanted to talk with you, the three of you to be precise as there is a matter that is quite important right now, for me, for you, for my family to be honest¨ The young woman talked in a calm way, knowing that despite the hatred from the guardians she was not a person to be blamed or anything.

¨Why do we have to help you with your family? At least you could tell us what is going on so we know¨ Sophie was being cautious with her choice of words, Cassiopeia might be a spy for her sister and this could be just to gather information on the guardians.

¨I'm pretty sure you know… the three of you¨ The girls were confused, especially Jinx who never expected to be included in whatever this was ¨I know you are Star Guardians¨ The comment from the blonde made the trio open their eyes in surprise ¨My sister doesn't stop talking about it¨

¨Ok who do you think you are you b-¨ Jinx stepped forward but Lux held the girl with her hand so the rebel would step back.

¨I am afraid you are mistaken, whatever your sister is saying is probably her imagination, she is not the first one to call us Star Guardians¨ The leader tried to stay calm, even though a small drop of sweat fell from her forehead.

Cassiopeia pulled a recorder from her bag and eyed the guardians ¨Do you want me to play this here or in a place where no one can hear us?¨

Sophie, Jinx and Lux looked at each other, knowing that they had to follow the younger sibling to confirm that this proof actually exists.

…

 _¨… and I swear by anything that the moment I get those three then the Star Guardians will be finished, we need more power…_ _ **I**_ _need to get stronger¨_

The recording ended, the voice of Katarina went silent and the reactions from the trio went from surprised to frightened, that was the proof she needed to have control over the girls. They looked at the blonde, she was not smiling and that was the most frightening thing as she was not like her sister who would be grinning at this moment of victory.

¨What do you want?¨ Lux asked, knowing they had no other option but to listen to the girl's demands.

¨Wait before we even say anything… who else knows this?¨ Sophie knew Talon was also tied with Katarina and Cassiopeia, so if that guy knew then it meant that the rest of the investigation club knew, despite Taliyah having this information for many months now.

¨Only me, aside from the two other parties that is my sister's team and yours. Your secret is safe… _for now_ ¨

¨Can we skip with all the mysteriousness and go straight to the part where you ask us to do whatever the hell you want?¨ Jinx was anxious, if she wasn't held by her two teammates then she would've punched the girl already and steal the recording.

¨I've done my investigation and found the source of power from my sister and her team. I want you to get rid of it so Kat goes back to normal¨ Cassiopeia looked down, Soph saw sadness in the eyes from the blonde ¨Ever since she got those powers she hasn't been the same, she even tried to attack me when I told her to stop doing her special magic¨ The sibling looked back at the three guardians ¨Come with me right now to my home, deal with the problem and I'll destroy the recording¨

¨What if we don't do it?¨

¨Then I'll leak the recording to Ahri and the entirety of the academy will know this in 10 minutes or less. I'm pretty sure my sister and her team knows the identity of all of you, but I'm sure there are also enemies to the Star Guardians who probably don't know your identities yet¨ She was right, the Dark Star had no idea of the identities of the girls and if it found out then not only them but their families and friends would also become targets and having to fight two enemies while protecting their beloved ones would mean another challenge that they might not even be able to win ¨Help me and your secret will be safe, I can't speak for my sister but even with her powers she still remains a bit like her older self, she wouldn't play that dirty¨

¨I don't know how you expect us to help you, especially if Katarina is in your home right now¨

¨She isn't¨ Cass answered to Sophie ¨After her club she has a date with your leader's brother so I suspect she won't come home until night¨

¨We help you, you destroy the recording and I don't care what happens next, you don't stalk us or try to act as a spy for your sister, clear?¨ Jinx was already prepared to go and end with this situation as soon as possible.

¨I don't want anything from the Star Guardians, I was never interested in you in the first place, but you are the only ones that can save my sister from herself. With that… you have a deal¨

* * *

 **Yes, I know it was Ren's turn but I wanted to start with this sub-arc right now, next chapter will be Ren as he will also face some problems in the next chapter.**

 **Oh boy this trio are now in a biiiiiiig trouble and even more when they get to Kat's home. I really like this sub-plot as it will open up a lot of things for the future :)**

* * *

 **Yeah I was missing due to many things, college, games, E3, but mostly working on Heroes & Legends; I'll work on some chapters here before going back to the other story,**

 **But until then I bid farewell, don't forget to follow/fav and write a review, I'll be open to answer every question that you have and until then:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	29. Chapter 29

Months passed, and exams came; the activity from the Star Guardians and their rivals was an all-time high and the investigation club was doing a great job. Reginald was sent to the principal's office to inform of any progress but aside from his initial discovery there was nothing else, not even Riven set up a talk with him to leak more information.

The regular schedule was finished and with that the club had a new meeting. It became a routine: Meet, talk about previous discoveries, see if there were new ones, get the best pictures and videos, discuss about then until the time was over; for some like Taliyah, Ezreal and Ekko was fun, Talon and Quinn were mostly there to spend time together and hear some theories even though they weren't doing any investigation, as for Ren he was tied between good and bad, he liked discussing it but at the same time he wanted more information.

During these last meeting Ren's phone vibrated and he grabbed it immediately, it was a message from a number he never put a name to it but just by looking at the last digits he knew immediately who it was.

 _Meet me in the same place after club hours, don't take too long._

A short message but it was more than enough to catch his attention, was she angry at him? Was there going to be a conflict soon? Nonetheless he was worried about the white haired.

…

The moment the club hours ended the president headed directly to the bus stop where they met last time, she was probably waiting already and if she wanted him not to take a lot of time then it meant something very urgent. And there she was, sitting on the bench and wearing a warm jacket over her academy uniform, she had a hood on to cover the white strands and most of her face.

The brown haired sat at her side, none of them looking at each other ¨You want me to come fast so here I am…¨ He started the conversation, trying to remember the rules from the first time.

¨I am a member of the Anti-Star Guardians¨ That commentary came out of nowhere and Ren was speechless about it, his brain started to process this but one of his first thoughts was that it was a lie ¨I hope you understand the reason of why I haven't told you any of this¨

¨I…¨

¨It started as something fun, exciting, she was right about the Star Guardians but to be honest I never expected to reach this type of… I-I never thought we would be in this kind of position¨

¨What?¨

Riven looked at Ren who had the most dumbfounded look on his face ¨Do I have to make a diagram for you? I am a member of the Anti-Star Guardians, I fought against the Star Guardians and yes I saw you many times¨

¨But… why? I-I-I can't even begin with the reason of why would you do it or as to… I… thought we had these meetings to answer questions not to multiply them tenfold!¨ Ren raised his tone, certainly this reveal was unexpected and most importantly very important for him as he was very close to a person that was able to harness magical powers ¨I don't know where to start, maybe I should ask you how… how do you use your magic or… wait, maybe what's the source of powers or… there are so many questions and it is impossible to decide!¨

¨Maybe if you would shut up for a minute I'll try to explain some things to you, do bear in mind that I will not reveal who the rest of the members of my team are, nor who the Star Guardians are, and yes, I know who they are¨

¨Are they… uh… close to me?¨

¨They are in the academy, that's all I'm willing to say¨ She sighed and relaxed on the bench ¨Where to start… I guess the actual reason was because I followed the leader, she was interested in the Star Guardians and so was I, after doing some investigation our leader found a strange artifact that after touching it… well it is weird to explain how I felt in that moment but it gave us our powers, we then tried to convince some other girls who would follow in our same idea¨

¨Consume monsters to become stronger?¨

¨Exactly, but as the initial moments of power dissipated I started to think, are we doing the right thing? So I proposed the leader and the others how we should get stronger but not deviate from the objective of saving people, this includes not hurting any innocent people or even try to gain something out of our powers¨

¨Like… money and the such?¨ Riven nodded ¨But what happened with the first big encounter? Your leader was about to kill Ezreal if it weren't for that pink haired¨

¨She is… short-fuse sometimes, especially when she is losing, that girl would do anything to attain victory, and thus you saw that. We had a long conversation but I feel she hasn't listened to me, not even a single bit¨

¨Well if anything none of us got injured in the following battles, so I guess that's something¨ Ren smiled and the girl nodded once again ¨Do you regret getting those powers? Or at least what you did?¨

¨It's a complicated question…¨

¨So it's not just a matter of yes or no?¨

¨These powers are not a curse, they indeed give me strength and allow me to fight with those creatures the… Dark Star, but when I tried to consume them… I felt something weird within me, as if something was trying to take control, imagine if a voice was telling you to keep doing that, to eliminate more of those monsters to become the ultimate guardian. While it may sound fancy and tempting it was something that kept me awake at night, a hand trying to pull me into something worse, turning myself into… the darker side if you can call it¨ Riven looked down, she shivered at those memories and how even today were still in her brain, haunting the girl and trying to lure the warrior into something she was not: A monster ¨I got strength… but at what cost? My team… they keep consuming those things and they get stronger, but I don't know for certain if they are the same person I first met… they changed…¨ She was still unable to get over the fact that Katarina changed, they were still close but their relationship went from friends to leader and subordinate, often questioning the methods of the former.

¨I'm sorry…¨ The white haired opened her eyes in surprise, this time she was the one who didn't expect that from the president ¨I don't think I'll ever know the type of power you have now but… if it makes you feel better I'm happy you are not like the others… sure you may have consumed some but you are feeling regret about it… maybe there is a way to revert all of this¨

¨Maybe… but there's so much we can do right now, you are just an investigation and me… one of the enemies of the Star Guardians…¨

¨You can go and tell them about this?¨

¨Do you think they would believe me?¨ Ren noticed this and slightly nodded ¨We've been fighting for months, we win, they win, if anything right now there's a stalemate in which both sides are not able to declare themselves victorious, but I do fear my leader will get enough power to wipe the guardians out¨

¨Then you must save them, protect them when the time comes´

¨I will try, even if it means going against a friend…¨ Riven smiled, she felt that the big weight that was crushing her heart and soul was lesser, the pain would still follow her but at least she was able to share it with someone. The girl looked at Ren and got closer to drop a kiss on his cheek ¨Thank you, you might just be a regular person but… sometimes people like you can make a difference in the lives of some people¨ Riven stood up and waved her hand.

¨Well there's that about more informa-¨ But his whispers were cut off when he saw the anti-Star Guardian on the ground and screaming in pain ¨RIVEN!¨ He jumped from his seat and ran to help her; the girl was touching her chest, with one hand while the other was on the cold stone floor. Ren tried to help her up but before he could touch the hand on the ground the president saw how this one was glowing and eventually a big black and white sword that was broken materialized in her hand ¨W-what's… what the…¨

¨It's the artifact… it's under attack… it's calling me… _all of us to it_ …¨ Riven used the sword to stand up again, she closed her eyes and with a furious roar she channeled the energy and released it, transforming herself into her anti-Star Guardian self, her clothes changed and so did her hair but not only that the weapon that was incomplete got reassembled and emitted a strange and grim glow. After the whole process was finished Riven turned and eyed at the president of the club ¨Don't follow me… Reginald¨ Those words generated more fear than anything else for the boy.

¨No… Riven wait!¨ He extended his hand to help her but the girl took flight and went directly to the source of the calling ¨What in the world is going on?!¨

* * *

 **You can imagine what was the reason behind this, but you'll hear more of it in the next chapter. Now Ren knows a deep secret, but will he give this information to the principal or will he keep it to himslef and protect Riven? Only time will tell, but for now it time for the Star Guardians.**

* * *

 **EmeraldR0se:** _Watch Cassio be a double agent and it being a trap.._

 _Durg it's been a while and I'm sure I've never reviewed any of your things here but I love it. Keep up the amazing work :DD_

 **You'll see it in the next chapter, maybe this was a sign? Or maybe not? Thanks for the review, man :D**

* * *

 **I am happy... and why's that? Argentina won yesterday and even though we'll have to face France on saturday (which will no doubt be a challenging team) it makes me happy, not only because of the victory but because of the avalanche of memes. But to be honest I'm not _the_ person that is into football every time, mostly when my country plays.**

 **But let's get back to this: With the chapter done (and quite fast since I had something already written) I bid farewell and go back to the planning board as the next chapter will be interesting, you'll see. But for now this was Tourvelix, don't forget to follow, fav and review and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	30. Chapter 30

The four girls followed the younger sibling of the Du Couteau, they had to take a bus to get to the Noxus district.

¨You think we can trust her?¨ Jinx whispered while looking at the other student who was also eyeing the three guardians.

¨Do we have any other option? She has proof about us¨ Sophie answered, looking to the front and to all of the people in the public transport.

¨We'll deal with this as fast as possible, ok? She only knows about us so we can't risk the others' identities¨ Lux added, it was true that if it was the whole team this mission would be easier.

The students kept going for a few more minutes until Cassiopeia pressed a button near her seat and a buzzing sound could be heard inside of the bus. She stood up and so did the other girls and climbed out the moment the doors opened.

They had to walk away from the avenue until they arrived to a neighborhood where most of the houses were of fine quality, they weren't mansions but they certainly showed that the people who lived there had more than enough money to not be considered as `middle class´. As they arrived to a black metallic fence the guardians saw the Du Couteau home; a three-floor chalet with a beautiful front and a very well decorated garden with a fountain, from their position they were also able to see the huge backyard and the pool that was now closed due to the low temperatures.

¨Is this…?¨ The three girls were amazed, they've seen many pictures of houses like these but never expected to finally entering one, even though their motives were far from nice.

¨How can a person like your sister afford a place like this?!¨ Jinx's amazement disappeared and instead a lot of questions came to her mouth.

¨My father is a remarkable scientist that works for the government, my mother a fashion designer so if you expect us to be like _you_ then I must say you are in the wrong¨ Cassiopeia frowned and looked for the keys to the gate at the fence, without luck the other three girls were freezing.

¨If you expect us to help you then I suggest you work faster¨

¨You're not making it any easier…¨ After a successful attempt the younger sibling grabbed the keys and opened the gate, allowing the guardians to go through as the owner closed after she entered into the chalet's grounds. In a breeze the students entered into the not-so-humble abode.

The girls were amazed by the gardens on the front but the moment they got inside their jaws dropped; there was no doubt Katarina and Cassiopeia were set for life with their parents' income. The wood-carved walls were accompanied by various paintings and vases, some with flowers while the others were empty; above their heads was a chandelier with gold and silver with all of the lights turned on. In this hallway there were many doors that led to the different parts: the kitchen, living room, a small bathroom and even two staircases, one that led to the basement and another to the second floor. Truth be told the guardians were more eager to explore this `palace´ rather than going for the mission but Cassiopeia had to hold them as she guided the students to the basement.

Once down there the visitors were a bit disappointed, unlike what they've seen the basement was a dark place filled with boxes and with no decoration whatsoever.

¨Can we return back to the main floor? This place is horrible¨ Jinx huffed, crossing her arms and looking everywhere.

¨Remember how I said my father was a scientist for the government?¨ The guardians nodded ¨Truth be told Marcus has been missing for over a year now, the people who he worked with said he found out something valuable but there were no records about what it was or even where he went; some people claimed he was killed, others abducted, whatever the case we haven't heard about him ever since¨

¨I'm… sorry to hear that¨ Sophie tried to be polite, even if they weren't there to make friends.

¨Mom took us to therapists, trying to get over it, but we were alright…¨ Cass knew she drifted from the original topic ¨Anyway… Kat found a book that belonged to my father, this was around the attack from the big monster at the Academy. It took me a while to comprehend but eventually I found out about this secret and connected the dots¨

¨In… this basement?¨ Lux looked around before facing Cassiopeia again ¨Are we supposed to look into these crates the source of power from your sister?¨

¨That's what I thought in the first place, but my father knew his secrets had to be well kept, to protect us I suppose, so he made…¨ The sibling pushed one of the bricks in the wall and the mechanism triggered the other bricks that ended up creating a passage to the secret lab ¨…this, in order to hide what was valuable for him¨ The blond girl looked at the guardians whose surprise returned only this time it wasn't amazement, but fear ¨After you…¨

…

What originally was a lab from the father of Cassiopeia and Katarina it ended up being a big empty area where the other team trained, in the middle of it there was a pedestal with a floating sphere. The details were strange and it emitted a weak humming that attracted the three guardians.

Lux, Sophie and Cassiopeia got closer to the artifact while Jinx just looked around at the few bookcases that were on one of the corners of the secret room, there was one particular thing and it was that there was only a single book; the rebel grabbed it and opened it in a random page, but unfortunately for her the drawings were too complicated for her.

¨Yo, what's this?¨ The cyan haired raised the book and everyone turned, the younger sibling walked towards Jinx and grabbed the object.

¨The notes from my father, I never managed to get a good look before Kat always takes it out of my hands, but it talks about the stars and something like that, I know my sister wrote something¨ Cass opened the book but immediately closed it after the first page then gave the book to Sophie who stored it in her bag ¨So… how are you going to proceed?¨

The guardians looked at each other, it was the first time they saw something like this, their powers didn't come from an object, instead it was given by the First Star. This however brought a big problem to the table because if they were able to replicate the artifact then they were also able to give powers to anyone they wanted, if fighting 5 girls with powers was already troublesome with the Dark Star creatures also on the loose then having to battle against many more people would be impossible.

¨This… uh… how can I explain it you?¨ Lux started, fidgeting with her fingers ¨This kind of… item… thing… we never saw it before¨

¨Then how did you get your powers?¨

¨It's kind of a long story… but it involves stars and a horned lady¨ Jinx said, even though her tone was a bit sarcastic ¨But let's be clear, we don't know how to solve your problem¨ The rebel smiled and raised her eyebrows ¨Sorry!¨

¨So you're going to bail out of our deal?¨

¨No!¨ Lux and Sophie raised their tone ¨Jinx does not speak for all of us, we will help you, but in a way she is right, we never got our powers from something like… _this_ , so we don't know how it operates or what it might do¨

¨I want to leave this basement with an answer or **anything** that could cure my sister. So you either figure out something or I'll message Ahri right away¨ Cassiopeia pulled out her phone, she was ready in case the guardians backed out but deep inside of her mind the student knew they would try something.

¨Maybe…¨ Sophie turned to face the sphere ¨Do you have any idea what your sister did to get her powers?¨

¨I wasn't there, but if I were you I would touch it, that would be a start¨

The raven haired wanted to continue, she slowly moved her hand near to the mysterious object but before her fingertips could even touch what it looked like metal the hand of Lux grabbed the wrist of the girl.

¨Don't, we have to make sure. The three of us will touch it¨ Sophie nodded and Lux released her hand while with the other the blonde pulled the rebel closer ¨On the count of three we'll touch the artifact, ok?¨

The three girls prepared themselves, inhale and then exhale, they would try to find out what would happen with the sphere, they knew Katarina and her team were not magical or the younger sibling would've mentioned anything; the true question was: What kind of effect would it have on people who were already magical? They were about to find out.

One

Two

Three

The three hands touched the sphere, the humming stopped but it was still floating, they waited for a few seconds but nothing seemed to happen, was it meant to react that way? Was it actually a magical item that gave powers to people who didn't have? Maybe it was because their source of powers came from a powerful entity. All of the questions had no answers but the true problem was not the fact that it didn't work, but the fact that it started to work shortly afterwards.

The three girls yanked their hands but only Lux was able to do it in time, for both Sophie and Jinx they were stuck, as if their palms were glued to the macabre item. The humming started once again and the lines that were on the sphere glowed with a pulsating white hue; the black haired tried to remain calm while Jinx was screaming already, it was the first time for the latest member of the guardians to actually hear the marksman to scream, at least with terror.

¨It's burning!¨ Sophie yelled, the burning sensation that was in her hand was now going to her arm and slowly getting to the rest of her body.

¨DESTROY THE THING, DO SOMETHING, SHIRO! KURO!¨ But the painful requests from Jinx were unheard as the familiars didn't appear, neither did Shisa ¨LUX HELP US OUT¨

¨We're trying! Cass give me a hand¨ While the leader was trying to pull Sophie the Du Couteau sibling was working on Jinx.

The sphere seemed to get more power as it floated a bit higher, making the two trapped guardians raise their hands, the humming was deafening at that point and they could even feel as if the walls vibrated, if that thing got more power then it would destroy the entire house.

With enough luck (and two people pulling the same person at the same time) they were able to free the guardians. In just mere seconds the sphere started to descend and the humming returned to normal, everything went back to normal.

¨Soph, Jinx, are you alright?¨

¨Y-yeah…¨ Sophie looked at her hands, they were red due to the hot sensation the artifact gave ¨It felt weird…¨

¨Let's not wait and destroy that thing!¨ Jinx stood up quite fast and grabbed a brick that fell from the wall but Lux held the rebel down.

¨Let's not¨

¨I don't know what you just did but that was creepy, get out of my house before my sister or anyone else comes here¨ Cassiopeia opened the hidden wall and they all left the basement. Without getting distracted too much the owner rushed to the metal fence and opened the entrance for the three guardians to leave ¨I'll tell you if my sister feels any different after this, now go!¨ With that the girl closed the gate an ran towards her home.

Without discussing too much the students ran back to their homes, even if that meant doing a twenty-minute walk from where they were.

…

After she arrived at home and having a discussion with her parents about why she was late on an academy week the guardian went to the top floor and left her belongings on the desk, she took a quick shower and laid on the bed. Her eyes were fixated on the ceiling, her mind was still remembering what happened, the hand still felt warm and sometimes itchy but that also brought another memory to her; as she looked at the desk to her left Sophie remembered she still has the book from Katarina's father. But those secrets would remain like that until the next morning, the contents on that book are meant to be discussed with the rest of the team, as well as the results from the mysterious sphere.

* * *

 **But what are the consequences from the orb that turned Katarina and Riven into powerful magical girls? That will be a topic of discussion for the next chapter of Sophie, especially when... well, it will be a surprise, it will have some fun moments but also some other serious, but until then...!**

* * *

 **Chapter done and as I write this I'm ready to go to bed, got a presentation and a final tomorrow so I need to sleep well. Have I ever told everyone how I hate the new meta? I tried learning for months but ended up being useless as now the most dominant thing in the botlane are mages or who knows what? Sure there are a few adcs that are still quite viable in this meta, but I miss playing my Sivir, Cait and Twitch. Hope Riot reverts the change to crit items or at the very least make it for crit adcs to be back on the grid again because I'm losing my sanity trying to learn top.**

 **But my story about having to endure League's meta and all will be for another day, hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to follow, fav and write a review or even a PM, I'll read and answer them all.**

 **Until then this was Tourvelix, bidding you a good night but at the same time my memorable words:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	31. Chapter 31

The end of the day arrived, Ren was already home and in his bedroom, using the computer. From there he was having a chat with Ezreal who were talking mostly about the academy and of course the Star Guardians; Reginald was still wondering if the leader from the group tried to contact him or if Lux was actually wondering about the first kiss of her boyfriend, but both answers were negative.

At the side of his laptop was his phone to which he looked quite often, especially after what happened earlier that day, with Riven revealing her powers and of course transforming. Ever since that he hasn't received any message from the white haired, he was worried but at the same time he thought that if he sent a message they would both be in danger, but how bad could it be to actually show some interest in her wellbeing? It was a question that would not be easy to answer, but there was no other way; besides more information meant the principal would also be happier.

Ren grabbed his phone and started to write the message for Riven.

 _Are you ok? After what happened today I didn't hear anything about you or to be honest about anything else. Just want to make sure everything is ok._

With the message sent he looked once again at the laptop's screen, he hasn't received a reply from the blond but he was mostly interested in Riven, after all if something wrong happened to her then it might have some repercussions on him.

But unfortunately no new message came, he instead decided to turn everything off and go to sleep; he would try again tomorrow, at least if she appeared at the academy one of his worries would disappear, but still he wanted to find out what really happened.

…

As the morning arrived Ren prepared himself to go to classes but the moment he checked the phone he noticed there was a message from that number that had no name.

 _Usual place, today, after club hours._

Nothing else, no sign of being happy that he was worried for her or anything. It was weird but she was able to answer his message, or maybe it was someone who got her phone? Nonetheless it was still a reply and he would obey it like the other two he received.

And so the end of the schedule arrived, clubs were done and Ren was immediately going towards the bus stop hoping to get an answer from his informant. Thankfully for him there she was, using a hoodie to cover most of her head and hair and with the academy uniform; the president sat at her side and eyed at the girl with a worried look in his face.

¨Riven what happened? Are you ok? After what happened yesterday I couldn't think of anything good, what was that artifact that you mentioned?¨ The eyes from the brown haired went from her hooded face to her right hand which she uses to hold the sword; it was bandaged ¨Your hand…¨ He was about to touch it but the warrior immediately yanked hers away from the boy. With a painful sigh the white haired pulled the hood and revealed her face, she had a noticeable cut on her right cheek ¨W-what happened yesterday?¨

¨Nothing of your interest…¨

¨This is not… this doesn't have to do with the club or anything, I'm worried about you¨

¨Like I said, it's nothing you should be interested about¨ Riven tried to look away but Ren was still insisting, standing up from his seat and to be on front of the girl.

¨I **am** interested, I'm worried about yesterday and what happened to your hand or… or your face, just because you are a warrior it doesn't mean you-¨ But his words were cut when Riven stood up immediately and grabbed the president by the shoulders, then she pulled him where she was sitting and held him against the seat; he could feel the strength in her arms and the pressure it applied up to the point he started to feel some pain, not only from the sudden impact but from the sheer force she was applying.

¨Listen up Reginald¨ She got her face closer to his ¨What happened yesterday is none of your concern; yes _something_ occurred but I want to keep it secret, we are afraid someone is a traitor I know it's not me. If they start investigating each one of us I don't want you to be any close to me, you're an innocent bystander and even though I won't do any harm to you but I'm afraid the others will… and will never forgive me if they hurt someone like you¨ She stepped back and looked at the student from above ¨Stay away from me Reginald, you or your club could be in danger so _please_ … abandon this fool's errand before you or your friends end up hurt… or worse¨ With those words the white hared covered his head with the hood once again and started to walk away, ignoring the president.

¨B-but Riv…¨ Reginald sighed and shook his head ¨I'm sorry Riven, but we can't give up… I'll help you, even if that would be getting into more risks¨ He looked down and then went on the opposite direction and then toward his ome.

However the conversation between these two was not private, out of nowhere a girl reappeared as if she disappeared from being invisible and grinned, leaning on the tree; it was the same girl that appeared everytime the Anti-Star Guardians fought. A grin appeared on her face as she followed the club president with her eyes ¨Interesting… guess this winter will be anything but boring¨ The vile girl chuckled and turned invisible again.

* * *

The sun was setting but on the main office of the academy the principal was still working, filling many papers. With a heavy sigh and a frown on his look the old man kept working, not even the knock on the door distracted him from his work.

¨Come in¨ He replied to the sounds and heard the door opening but not even paying attention to the person in front of him but for some reason he knew who it was ¨I told you not to come here¨

¨What can I say? I'm bored¨ It was a young woman, the tone in her voice was kind of sarcastic and her face showed a smug look that anyone would hate ¨I can't say the same about you, with all that paperwork and… business you do¨ She sat on the desk, looking at the principal's writing ¨Though I would advise improving your handwriting. Now… I heard things going around the city, are they true?¨

¨About the Star Guardians?¨ The mysterious girl made an affirmative noise ¨They have gotten quite strong, I've received reports that they defeated more creatures¨ He sighed ¨But that is not the only issue right now¨

¨The guardians getting stronger is not an issue? It must be _very_ troublesome for you if you have to mention something more important than those magical girls¨

¨I didn't say it was very troublesome, but it is an issue nonetheless. There is another group, they are named the Anti-Star Guardians and they also fight against the creatures, but unlike the actual guardians they consume the monsters for more power¨

¨Interesting… do you know who is behind this?¨

¨I got someone working on it¨ The principal leaned back and turned his chair to open a drawer, inside were the files of all of the students in the academy, he started with the A and stopped halfway through, the slender fingers from the old man grabbed one of the files and had a look at the name, then he gave it to the woman in her desk ¨In the meantime I want you to have a look at this girl, wouldn't be too hard considering she likes to be a `show off´ ¨

¨Mh…¨ She opened the file and saw the picture then some of the notes written about this person ¨I suppose a strange person that is not a student in your oh-so-honorable institution would not raise any suspicions if I start to follow and talk to her¨

¨You'll think of something, you were always a good liar, besides you're becoming a student after summer vacations. I want to keep a close eye on you¨

¨So I take you have _that_ idea in mind, right?¨ He nodded ¨Well then, I guess I will see you sooner than I expected…¨ With a vile grin the soon-to-be student kept the file and left the office, leaving the principal alone who kept working on his papers but only one thing changed… his face now showed a smile, indicating that things will soon be alright.

* * *

 **Ren has been warned but that won't stop him nor the club from keeping investigating, even if he now has Evelynn spying on him, how will that affect Riven? Only time will tell but for now the club president has to be aware that any misstep might lead to his demise, or worse, everyone's.**

 **Also yes, the woman from that last part is important, maybe not right now but it won't be the last time you'll hear from her during this arc, oh and I'm sure she'll be more present in the next one, but for now, more mystery ;)**

* * *

 **Chapter done, it's cold, I have 3 finals to take and I'm heading to lunch.**

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to fav/follow and if possible drop a review, does it work if I say that? It sounds like those youtubers and streamers who are like `click on the subscribe button but DON'T SMASH IT´ But hey, maybe it works, maybe it doesn't, all I know right now is that I'm hungry; next chapter will be Sophie and you will know the consequences of the artifact of the ASG, but until then, this was Tourvelix, have a good weekend and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	32. Chapter 32

_¨Do you think she is alright?¨_

 _¨She's been asleep for hours, maybe that orb killed her¨_

 _¨She moves so she is definitely alive, do you think she will notice us?_

 _¨Of course! I… I think, we should wake her up she didn't even set her alarm¨_

Those voices were not enough to wake Sophie, she was still tired from yesterday and her body was aching for some reason, the artifact certainly took a toll on her. But she was not going to miss today's classes, the origin of the voices started to poke on the guardian's head until she started to move even more.

¨Mom stop!¨ The dark haired waved her hand to stop with the poking but it didn't as she was attacked from two flanks ¨Enough!¨ Sophie opened her eyes and sat on her bed, her hair a complete mess. As she looked around there was no one, both parents were not in the room ¨What the…¨ Her eyes went up and saw something odd, two floating things that shouldn't be on her home ¨Shiro? Kuro? What… what are you doing here? Wait!¨ The guardian immediately stood up from her bed and looked all around, she was scared and expecting for something ¨Where is Jinx? Where is she hiding?!¨

But the two familiars looked at each other and with a lot of confusion in their eyes ¨We do not understand either, but we have to help our guardian¨ Shiro commented, which was confusing for Sophie since not only Shisa was not with her, she was also able to understand what the familiars from Jinx said¨

¨We like to believe the sphere from yesterday had an effect on you and Jinx, but we barely understand what that magic does¨ Kuro flew closer to Miller ¨But what we have to do know is finding about that book over there¨ The black-colored familiar went directly to the table, Shiro followed it too.

Sophie did the same, looking at the cover of the old book. The first page had a few words scribbled by Marcus, the father of Katarina and Cassiopeia, the rest were a lot of numbers and drawings that resembled to the artifact in that secret room. It was too hard to understand with a single read and there was not a lot of time, especially since she had to take her breakfast and rush directly to the academy. Without reading anything else the guardian put the book inside of her bag and started to undress in order to get her uniform but there was one specific thing the two familiars noticed; Sophie had a tattoo of a pair of wings in her back, similar to how Jinx has; it was strange but trying to find an answer would take her a lot of time, time that could be spent eating and heading to classes.

…

On her way to the academy Sophie didn't find anyone, Taliyah wasn't there and neither Ren, however her calm pace was soon met with a tackle from another person who threw the girl into the nearest brush, blocking the views of others. As the girl opened her eyes she found that it was Jinx who pushed her and was already looking at the newest member with fury in her eyes.

¨GIVE THEM BACK!¨ She yelled, and grabbed Soph by the shoulders, moving her back and forward.

¨HEY HEY HEY WHAT THE F-¨ But the guardian pushed the rebel away. From inside her bag the two familiars came out but to the girl's surprise, Shisa also came out but from Jinx' bag ¨Wait… what is going on?¨

¨I was hoping you could tell me! I've been bothered by this annoying fur-ball ever since I woke up, telling me what to do, what not to do. It is annoying!¨ Jinx grabbed her pigtails and pulled from them, she spent less than an hour with Shisa but the look in her face was clear that she didn't want to spend another minute with the lion-like creature.

¨She needs self-control, eating a lot of chocolate for breakfast won't do her good, plus she wakes up too late¨ The familiar scolded her new guardian in front of Sophie and the two other flying creatures.

¨I. Don't. Care!¨ Jinx once again raised her tone but now she looked at Sophie ¨Give me back Shiro and Kuro, I don't know how you got them but I want them back!¨

¨I… I wish I could¨ The cyan haired tilted her head ¨I woke up and they were in my bedroom, but Shisa wasn't there, maybe… it's the thing from yesterday?¨

¨What are you implying?¨

¨We need to find out, we have to do a club meeting. But right now I want to get to classes, and fast¨ The familiars hid inside of their respective bags and the two students went directly to the academy, still thinking about what happened the day before.

As the hours went, Jinx and Sophie didn't talk about this subject, they wanted to wait until club hours but Shiro and Kuro were impatient to get out of their bag. Eventually the regular schedule finished and both students headed for the classroom where the meeting would be, however before they opened the door the girls heard Janna talking to Lux, and it was not a good conversation.

¨You are still the leader but it's best that we all have a say in this kind of situations!¨ The advisor to the team raised her tone, she was standing in front of Lux and looking down on her; Janna was already a tall woman and going against Lux who was the smallest of the team (not counting the Yordles) gave the other Star Guardian a more menacing look.

¨I didn't want to drag anyone into that mess and…¨ Lux saw that both Sophie and Jinx entered into the classroom ¨I'm glad that you are alright¨

¨I wouldn't call it alright…¨ Soph opened her bag and both Shiro and Kuro came out while on Jinx' side it was Shisa ¨Apparently the familiars from the other now respond to the opposite person¨

¨I still call it stealing…¨ The rebel muttered, throwing her bag into the nearest desk just to get scolded by the small lion.

¨Wait… are you sure that is the only side effect?¨ Poppy asked, and she was right, the only thing they knew was that the familiars went in different directions but what if something else happened. They had to test it out.

¨Maybe if you transform?¨ Lulu suggested and they all seemed to agree, except for Lux who was already disliking it.

¨No no no no no no NO. What happened yesterday was a mystery, yeah sure they have different familiars, but what if the transformation ends up doing something… worse, like… what if they explode or become evil?¨ The leader tried to stop the two affected students, she made a mistake last time and she didn't want to feel guilt if something bad happened now.

But Janna, Poppy and Lulu were already locking the doors and blocking the windows, making the classroom a very dark place. Jinx and Sophie stood in front of the classroom while the others were around blocking the entrance and from a safe distance as well.

The guardians started with the process, they channeled their energy and began transforming; a turquoise and red glow covered the two girls, they started to float and spin as their outfits started to appear on their bodies, however only the spectators were able to notice what was truly going on. As the process finished the two students stood next to each other, looking at the other four who had different looks in their faces, some were amazement, some fear, some confusion, but there was one thing they could agree on, something was _not_ right.

¨Uhm… Soph… Jinx… are you feeling alright?¨

¨This is bad…¨ Shiro said.

¨The Guardians are lost¨ Kuro added which made Sophie look up.

¨What's wrong with you two?¨

¨Have you seen yourself? Or Jinx?¨

¨No, but why would…¨ The newest member looked down and noticed what was the true problem. Her outfit was not the same as her original one, this time it was a dark purple bra that was tied to her lower neck along with a blouse that didn't cover her sleeves or the upper part of her back; she also had shorts and a pair of thigh-high socks that matched with a white pair of boots; in her hands she had a glove that reached half of her arm and on the other she wore a gauntlet. This change was not the only thing as her hair was still with that vibrant turquoise but the style was completely different since she had two long pigtails ¨…see myself? What. Is. Going. ON?!¨ Sophie was stunned because she looked like Jinx, but the moment she turned to see the other guardian she found that she was doing the same, inspecting every bit of her new costume as well as the pair of wings that grew from her lower back.

¨It seems the sphere did more than just swap the familiars, your outfits and I believe your powers as well are inverted, meaning that Jinx will fulfill your role and vice versa¨ Shisa was giving insight to the two transformed guardians, even though the other four wouldn't understand what the familiar said.

¨How do you…¨ Jinx tried to move, but she was crashing against everything with her wings ¨How are you even supposed to move with these things? At least I can make mine disappear!¨

¨Maybe you should learn how to fold them, that's what I did¨ Sophie pointed at the wings with her finger but didn't expect a small glow to come out of the tip of it and spew a small ray. Thankfully for the rebel she was able to dodge it almost immediately. This girl gave an angry look while Sophie was surprised as she tried to hide her finger inside of one of the short's pockets ¨I-I-I… I don't know what I just did¨

¨You fired at me! What are you going to do next? Throw a rocket at the entire academy? Because oh no Ma'am if anyone were to do that then it would be me, for I hate this place more than anyone else¨

¨Both of you shut up!¨ Lux yelled and the students went silent ¨Screaming at each other won't solve anything, we have to think¨

¨The artifact changed your powers… this could be troublesome but at the same time it could benefit us¨ Janna put a finger on her chin, she had an idea even though this was not going the way they expected.

¨Benefit us? Jinx will make stars fall at the academy just to crush the entire building, I don't see any benefit into it¨ The hammer-wielding Yordle huffed while Lulu just clapped, the latter was having fun even though she was not aware of the problems this could take.

¨Sophie and Jinx, while important members of the team, do not have the best relationship; Jinx cares about the success of our missions and I like to believe the safety of our leader while Sophie's objective is to keep us all safe, she wouldn't hurt a fly. Maybe we can use this as a team exercise, so the two of them could work together, learn their new powers and even have plans for future encounters with the Dark Star or the other team¨

¨Are you serious? Am I supposed to wear this outfit from now on and be your support?¨ Jinx grabbed her skirt and raised it just for Shisa to push it down ¨I can't stand having this annoying thing following me around for the entire morning, I want Shiro and Kuro back!¨

¨You're not the only one Jinx, this is awkward for me as well¨ Sophie opened her hand and Shiro immediately turned into the celestial weapon, it had almost no weight and the design was cute even though it was made of the white familiar's essence ¨I think I understand why you are having fun firing with these… they look so cute when they are weapons¨

¨They are not cute, they are deadly armaments of the First Star and their objective is to wipe the Dark Star as well as Katarina's face the moment I see her¨

¨No¨ Lux interjected ¨Right now we have two guardians who are unable to fight, we need you to train with your new powers so you can be back with the rest of the team, Janna is also right this could serve as a team exercise, you'll see things in a different shade from the other's perspective… though I fear Sophie might end up like a crazy madman…woman…whatever´

¨Waaaaaait what is that supposed to mean Lux? Do you think I'm crazy?¨

¨Oh no, we don't think you are crazy, we already call it a fact¨ Poppy said which caused the laugh of a few members.

¨This will be fun! I can't wait to see Soph and Jinx fighting back to back against our enemies!¨ Lulu seemed quite happy, and that was the true, even though the effects of the artifact caused changes on two of the guardians this could mean a lot of possibilities as well, but only time will tell¨

¨Speaking of which…¨ Lux grabbed Sophie's bag and took the book they recovered from yesterday's visit to the Du Couteau's home ¨While this new experience might be fun or interesting I want the two of them back with their original powers, we don't know if interacting with the artifact will do anything but at least I want to know what we are up against, the notes from the book should help us¨

¨So what now?¨

¨Now comes the waiting game, Katarina and her team will try to make a counter-attack, let's just hope it's not that soon…¨

* * *

 **I wanted to make this chapter for a long while since this marks a change for both Sophie and Jinx, it will be interesting for the two of them to learn the powers from the other, especially when not just the powers or the familiars will be the only thing that will change. But that will be known in the future chapters, especially since this marks the middle point of the second arc, from now on things might get tense, people will get injured and the Dark Star won't stop attack, neither will Katarina and her people, guess it's time for Ren to try and help Riven redeem from the ASG before it's too late.**

* * *

 **With this chapter done I'm out for the week, Not sure if I'll write anything else this week but for the record the next chapter is for Ren and that marks the end of the cycle and will work on Heroes & Legends for a while. I should have the second arc done by August or September (Just in time for a possible Season 3 of Star Guardian skins)**

 **But that is all speculation, maybe I will run out of ideas with H &L and will work on this fic a bit more and have the second arc done sooner. Still, until then don't forget to follow, fav and drop a review, I'll answer anything whether it's good reviews, bad reviews, death threats, it's always nice to read some stuff.**

 **This was Tourvelix and I hate this new meta in League but as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	33. Chapter 33

His mind was drifting away, the last meeting with Riven left him thinking more than the usual; he wanted to help her despite the warnings, Ren knew he might be in danger (and considering the powers of the team it was no joke) but at the same time he couldn't stay with his arms crossed and doing nothing. Maybe it was the best idea as he would be safe but what if Riven suffers because of this? Was there any other member of her team that was against the ideals of the leader? Or maybe it was something made up just to keep the president of the club away from this. Whatever the case Reginald knew he couldn't do this alone, much less with very few information.

¨Ren?¨ The voice of the vice president snapped the brown haired from his own trance ¨Are you in one of your thinking trips again?¨

¨Mh? What? Oh… uh… yeah… been thinking about exams¨

¨The idea of clubs is to, in a way, to avoid thinking about exams¨ Ekko said with a smile ¨Besides next week will be the Winter break, and you know what that means! Two weeks of no classes, homework or exams!¨ Ekko raised his hands in excitement, knowing it will be 14 days without having to wake up early for classes¨

¨You do know that professors would still send us pile of homework and texts to read before the break starts right?¨ Taliyah countered the words from her `close´ friend to which he just lowered his arms in defeat ¨Don't worry, last year it wasn't that bad¨

¨Yeah but still… ¨ Ekko sat on the desk, looking down after his defeat.

The classroom was empty, the only members of the club that were remaining were Reginald, Ezreal, Taliyah and Ekko; the president kept thinking about the situation with Riven and he had a plan, the only difficult part would if the rest would help him.

¨Guys… uh… do you have a moment?¨ The three of them got closer to the president ¨I'm not… sure about this but I've been pondering for a while, I think I have an idea who the ASG might be¨

¨Wait, for real?!¨ Everyone widened their eyes, they were surprised Ren knew this, especially Taliyah who already had knowledge of some things the club was not aware of yet ¨Who are they?¨

¨Let me make this clear, this is just a speculation and it might be wrong¨ Reginald sighed ¨I think Katarina and her closest people are part of the Anti-Star Guardians¨

¨Katarina?!¨ Taliyah was more than surprised when she heard that name ¨T-t-that's… impossible! Why would a person like her be a… magical girl or some sorts. I mean, is she the kind of person who would kill someone?¨ The three boys frowned at the girl ¨Ok, maybe she would, but that doesn't mean she has to be tied to that group!¨

¨I don't know… ever since we were closer to those fights I felt as if I was getting spied, and everytime I turned it was Katarina and her group of friends¨ Ezreal put a finger on his chin ¨Now I'm not trying to be paranoid here but why would she or her people notice me?¨

¨Well maybe it's because your girlfriend is the sister of Garen and at the same time he's Katarina's boyfriend. Maybe that big guy asked her if she could put an eye on you?¨ Ekko tried to find some logic behind this, he remained calm but his eyes did show some fear.

¨That might be it… yeah¨ Taliyah tried to avoid this, the worst case scenario is that a possible investigation would lead to the Star Guardians and therefore their identities, she couldn't let the club find about Sophie and the others ¨Still, it's not a good idea¨

¨Look, if we manage to confirm the identities of the ASG then we can stop them, help the Star Guardians you know? Maybe it can also lead us to the guardians themselves!¨ While the president knew this wouldn't be the case, his real intentions was to actually stop the enemies of the good team while at the same time saving Riven ¨Ekko said Winter Break is coming, we can use that time for a deeper investigation, meet up in some place and do something. What do you say?¨

¨I'm in, despite how dangerous it can be…¨ Ezreal was the first one to answer, he smiled and patted Ren's back, knowing he would be following him on this weird crusade.

¨I don't know… is that wise to do it?¨ Taliyah still tried to convince the others to back out.

¨Mom will try to force me to do any kind of homework and try to study…¨ He didn't sound too happy on that first part ¨But with this… I can just tell her I'm meeting up with you all so we can do all the homework together!¨ The doubt suddenly disappeared and a smile started to appear on his face ¨But yeah, I'll probably ask for help one day so my parents don't get angry, my grades are not that good lately…¨

¨UH… I-I-I-I I can help you Ekko!¨ Taliyah immediately answered and held her bag tighter, now she had an excuse to help with the club ¨You know you can count on me at any time!¨

¨Thanks guys, we'll try to decide a day on our chat and-¨

¨Wait… you said Katarina and her closest are members of the ASG…¨ Everyone nodded ¨Talon is very close to Katarina, as in, part of her group…¨ Ezreal said, this was something Ren overlooked and now the other two were also noticing.

¨You do remember when we saw both teams fighting, none had boys¨ Taliyah countered.

¨I mean, have you seen the Star Guardians? Wings, pointy ears, hooves. We can't be certain¨ Ekko gave his point ¨If you want to do this prez then we have to be careful, Talon might be a spy¨

¨Right… then we'll decide what to do. Until then I'd say we can dismiss this meeting, right?¨ They all agreed and left the classroom.

Ren was walking away from the academy but felt someone was following him, he feared it might've been one of the members of the ASG, was it a wise idea to confront one of them? What if it was Riven? There was only one way to find out. The president quickly turned and put his bag in front of him as cover, the only thing he did not expect was that the person following him was Ezreal.

¨What? Why are you following me?¨

¨Aside from that I have to follow this same path to go to my house? I want to ask you something, about your `findings´¨ The vice president questioned, he trusted his friend but at the same time he felt that the other student was hiding something ¨How is it that you deduced it was Katarina and her people? There are many girls at the academy, and even plenty have red hair, if that was your chain of thought¨

¨It's… complicated, and I don't think I can explain it right here¨

¨It's about your contact, isn't it?¨ The blond frowned ¨The person who gave you the information, it's one of the ASG, right? There's no other way you could've gotten that information¨

¨My contact is very close to the team¨

¨And you can't reveal the name because?¨

¨I want to protect her¨

¨Her? So it's a woman… Could even have more weight the theory that your contact is actually a member of the team¨ Ezreal crossed his arms ¨Come on, you can trust me¨

¨I know…¨ Ren walked up to his friend ¨Look, this stays between us. I fear my contact is in danger, the ASG might pin her for something that happened, and I fear the worst¨

¨B-but… what happened?¨

¨That's what I want to know but she wouldn't tell; I'm trying to follow the very few clues we got from investigating, it points to Katarina so far but it's impossible to tell if that's the case, all I want is to save this contact and stop the ASG, help the Star Guardians. If anything it will help us with our original investigation, right?¨

¨In theory… but couldn't you at least tell me a name? Or a hint?¨ But Reginald shook his head which made Ezreal sigh ¨Fine… I'll help you, but if we stop the ASG I want to know who your contact is, deal?¨

¨I'll see, for now I'm focused on more important things¨ Before they resumed with their walk the president felt something hit his hand, it felt wet but it wasn't raining, at least not water. The two of them looked up and saw the very first snowflakes already falling ¨Snow? Already?¨

¨It's the time, man… next thing we know we'll be having our summer break¨ With that the two kids kept talking about the club and other topics until they reached their respective homes. They had a plan now, and a possible deadline, not only Riven's life depended on this but also Ren's, unfortunately the Star Guardians couldn't help with this situation as they had other problems to deal with.

* * *

 **And that's it! Ren's chapter is done and now will come the winter break, time for the group to investigate further and discover more things about the ASG and the Star Guardians; speaking of the latter, they will have to help Jinx and Sophie with their dilemma and that includes dealing with the other team and the Dark Star as well. But hey, that will come in the following chapters, for now, I rest.**

* * *

 **With the chapter done let me remind you that I will work now on some chapters from Heroes & Legends.**

 **In theory we should have Akali's rework tomorrow on the PBE (and yes, I saw the leak, her W is a bit overpowered, I mean, invisible to turrets as well?!) I'll probably talk about it in the next chapter, when we get interactions, lore and probably more stuff about her. Until then, this was Tourvelix with a friendly message:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	34. Chapter 34

The temperature was cold, the academy was empty, the streets and buildings were filled with snow and many Snowdown decorations; the festivities were close but that was not an indicator that the Star Guardians had to stop with their trainings.

Beneath a bridge far away from the city the girls were practicing with their powers, especially when the other four were helping Jinx and Sophie to get used to their new abilities. On the one hand Soph was able to learn fast, after all her job was to shoot and destroy her opponents whilst the rebel acted like one, she was not willing to be the support of the team since her role was to be in the middle of the fight.

¨Jinx… come on, we have to do this¨ Lux was trying to convince her friend to work along with the team but the latter had her arms crossed and with the staff on the ground. The first sessions were quite slow, the cyan haired girl was not willing to do anything as she only saw Sophie having fun destroying targets, flying and even having a good relationship with Shiro and Kuro. Part of it was jealousy because those were her familiars, her weapons, her outfit, she should be the one having fun not another person who `stole´ her stuff.

¨Why don't you ask crazy girl over there to work with her new skills¨ Jinx frowned, tapping the ground with the hooves. Out of all the changes, Jinx hated a lot of things, but the top four in her imaginary list were always a topic of discussion: The wings on her lower back, she got used to her old ones and in this case they were unable to hide and plenty of times she was unable to get past a door because of the size of her new appendages; the second one was the horn, she couldn't look up to the sky and the stars without that protruding glowing thing blocking part of her vision; the third were the hooves and the main problem with these were the fact that more than once she fell to the ground when she tried to walk, even though Sophie taught her how to move and even plenty of more things Jinx was not willing to listen. But out of all those there fourth and probably the most hateful thing on her list was something that was not attached to her ¨By the way can somebody **please** kill this plush lion? I'd rather have that old professor Ryze talking to me than this thing¨

¨Would you rather risk your life just because you can't stand me?¨ Shisa and Jinx were pretty much the same, especially when it comes to not being able to stand the other; while the rebel wanted to have her familiars back, the lion-like creature wanted to return to her actual guardian who would listen to advices.

¨I WOULD DO ANYTHING JUST TO NOT HAVE YOU WHISPERING IN MY EAR WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NO¨ Jinx yelled, frowning and adopting a more menacing pose against her new familiar ¨Shiro and Kuro would often encourage me to do my usual stuff, I don't want to be some sort of… `good-like´ girl¨

¨Oh don't worry, you don't have the qualifications to be a `good-like´ girl as you said. Not even any remote chance¨ Shisa gave a snarky response, even though the two modified guardians were able to understand that.

¨Yelling at each other won't solve things…¨ Janna stepped in the middle, acting as a mediator while Lux was trying to help her friend, even though she was not listening. Poppy on the other hand walked to her bag and grabbed the phone while sitting on her oversized hammer.

Meanwhile Sophie and Lulu were looking from a distance. As that situation was trying to get controlled the two girls walked near the water, part of it was frozen already. So their reflections were almost impossible to see.

¨Lulu I'm wondering something…¨

¨Do we get in constant fights? Not all the times, Jinx is a very active guardian, her craziness is sometimes what the team needs to move on. She isn't happy with your familiar right now but eventually she'll learn to live with it. Just like Pix and me!¨ The green haired Yordle grabbed her flying companion and hugged it, she felt how the creature was shivering and held it between her arms and the silk from her outfit ¨I was actually surprised with her, none of us thought she could be a great Star Guardian, but in the end she ended up becoming a valuable team member, like you Sophie!¨

¨Thanks Lulu but-¨

¨The team tried to explain the rules to her many times, everyone thought she would break the rule about keeping the powers secret but in the end she wasn't the first one. I told my boyfriend a month after I got my powers¨

¨W-wait, what? Y-you have a boyfriend?! And you told him?!¨ Sophie was perplexed, she couldn't believe what was the most impressive thing, the fact that Lulu had a boyfriend or that she told him about her secret.

¨The rest of the team seemed to worry a lot too, but in the end he didn't believe me. Veigar is such a cutie when she gets angry¨ Lulu's cheeks flushed red as she remembered her partner ¨Even though he claims we are just friends but deep inside I know he is also a sweetheart that likes me¨

¨Oh… that's a relief. Anyway what I was asking before was-¨

¨I am glad you are with us Sophie, not only you are a good help to us but you also help the team stay connected…¨ The two guardians turned to see that the situation was finally getting calm between Jinx and Shisa ¨…even if we argue sometimes or we disagree to many topics, I am happy you appeared, you bring a new light to the team, especially to Jinx¨

¨What do you mean?¨ This comment was surprising, she and Jinx were not the best friends but they still got along as guardians, fighting back to back and protecting the other, however this change of powers seemed to forget the bond they had as partners so far.

¨She may hate you now, but I like to believe she will behave and try to help you. You saved her in the past and she will step in front of a monster just to protect you¨

¨You think?¨

¨Yeah… that's what friends do¨

¨Friends?¨ Sophie eyed the red haired demon, the latter immediately looked back and as soon as their eyes met each other they turned to avoid any kind of visual contact ¨Maybe she doesn't hate me¨

¨Anyway, hope that answers what you were going to ask Soph¨ Lulu smiled and released Pix so it could rest on top of her head.

¨Uh… thanks but… I had another question¨ Lulu tilted her head ¨How is it that with the outfits we are wearing during this cold winter we are not having a cold or hypothermia?¨

¨I don't know¨ The Yordle replied ¨Magic?¨

¨Ok everyone listen up!¨ Lux raised her voice and flew to a platform so all of the guardians could see her ¨Training is not going anywhere today, besides the sun is setting already and I don't want to come home dressed like this, nor with a cold. Shall we call a quit for today?¨ Everyone agreed and transformed back to their non-guardian forms ¨Good, we'll meet here on Thursday. Until then practice and… don't kill your familiars, please¨ While the first part of the message was for everyone the latter was directed to someone specific.

¨Will it count as my fault if that thing has an accident?¨ The now cyan-haired girl grinned, looking at the lion floating above her head.

¨Jinx, please¨

With the day done everyone returned to their homes. The night came and the streets were almost silent, Sophie was on her bed and looking at the different chats on the phone; in the meantime, Shiro and Kuro were flying around, jumping from one side of the room to the other and dropping some pencil cases by accident

¨Hey, I told you the rules, no breaking stuff in my home!¨ The guardian told to the black familiar who floated and looked at the girl back.

¨You are no fun! Jinx allowed us to be free and do what we wanted¨

¨We must respect Sophie, we also should follow her rules, this is not Jinx¨ Shiro was sometimes the voice of reason out of that duo, however the creature often showed a more crazy side, especially when the girl was using the flying white ball as a weapon.

Sophie sighed, she was not the only one with issues with the new familiar. As she looked back at the phone the raven haired noticed that she received new message from Lux.

Luxanna C: Soph you there?

Me: Yep

Luxanna C: I forgot to tell you today during training but tomorrow my parents are doing this yearly meeting at home to celebrate the Snowdown. Yes I know it's going to be on Saturday but still; they allow me and Garen to invite friends, last year I invited the whole club and now that you are here, well, I extend the invitation to you.

Me: Thanks I'll be there.

Luxanna C: Just a warning, there will be plenty of people from the academy, my brother likes to invite his friends and some people from his club.

Me: Don't worry, as long as I'm with the team I'll be okay.

LuxannaC: See you tomorrow :)

With a smile on her face the newest member put her phone on the nightstand and turned off the lights in her room. She had a party tomorrow, but before that she was invited to a café to meet with Ren and his friends from the investigation club. Even during vacations her Star Guardian duties would not get a rest.

* * *

 **Guess the training with the new powers is going well for Soph, but Jinx? Not so much, I also wanted to add the first bonding chapter between Soph and Lulu, it is time to learn the story of the other Yordle now! But yeah that will come later too because next chapter is going to be Ren's and the one after that it will be the party at the Crownguard's residence; yeah Lux is not as rich as Katarina and her family but her parents are in a good position.**

* * *

 **Now onto League talk, the Ryze short. He is basically Thanos now? Only collecting World Runes and gathering allies. But anyway, I liked the video and the appearances of different Champions (I never expected Sona, and never expected her to be quite tall. Also her new dress was nice).**

 **Next week is the patch with the new Akali but most importantly is a new PBE cycle, maybe a new set of Star Guardian skins? Sure, I heard the rumors and the leaks that it would be LeBlanc (legendary), Sona, Shyvana, Quinn and Zyra. While I'm not saying it may not work, I do believe that Shyvana already has a `colorful´ skin with Super Galaxy (besides, having two SG skins would make it confusing). I do hope it's more of a young team; Irelia, Kai'Sa, Taliyah, Taric? Karma. Then again they don't have to follow a certain meta, after all season 2 had two mages.**

 **Hope it's none of the ones in the leak, but until then I bid farewell, it is 1 in the morning and I'm tired, this was Tourvelix, don't forget to pink ward to reveal Akali next week and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	35. Chapter 35

Ren was prepared, he brought his back along with him; he looked at the time in his cellphone and it was 5PM, he arranged a meeting with the rest of his club and with Sophie on one of the cafes near the center. Ever since his time at the academy started, him and Sophie parted ways, she went with her own friends and club and so did Reginald, the idea of this meeting was to catch up to his old friend as well as trying to get homework done and some progress on the investigation of both teams; besides he also wanted to inform Sophie of the whole situation.

The student climbed out of the bus and saw that on the other side of the street the raven haired girl was there, after whistling and attracting her attention the boy immediately crossed the street as soon as the red light shone.

¨Be careful! I can't heal road accidents¨ Sophie joked, hugging his friend who was trying to catch his breath in the cold.

¨What? Are you a medic now?¨

¨No, but I learned some first aid throughout the year so if you get injured at least I know how to treat you¨ The girl smiled and the two of them walked towards the cafe ¨So this meeting is to invite me to your club?¨

¨No, well, yeah… maybe… the actual reason is so we can all talk about the vacations, the Star Guardians… a lot of things¨

¨I'll take this as an introduction to the club then¨ The two of them chuckled.

As this duo entered the café they looked around, there were very few people by the time it was, and mostly adults; even during vacations kids would rather go to the park or stay home watching movies or playing videogames, in this case the young ones were going to do homework. After staying by the doorstep a person in one of the tables raised its hand, when both students turned they saw the chocolate-colored hair of Taliyah and after that Ezreal and Ekko.

Now with all five people seated in the table, the waiter took the order of the recently arrived customers, as he left the students pulled their books and notes.

¨So… what do we do? Maths? Biology?¨ Ekko started, he was clueless with some things and hoped that his friends would give him a hand.

¨How about Star Guardians?¨ Ezreal said excited, even though both Sophie and Taliyah were not too happy about the idea; however they all agreed to finish the homework first and then if they had time to discuss about the topics of the club. It took them more than an hour to finish everything from the academy, giving them enough moments to talk about what really mattered to the majority of this group. ¨Now… onto the true topic, the guardians, and their enemies¨

¨Taliyah told me you were there when the Star Guardians and this other team fought¨ Sophie commented, she had to be very careful with her words, especially not to raise suspicion even if her friend knew already.

¨Yes, the Anti Star Guardians or the ASG as we like to call them… they are fierce but I like to believe the guardians will defeat them¨ The president was confident on the winner, but still he wanted Riven to stay safe ¨I just hope that no one dies, you know?¨

¨Have you seen the guardians kill anyone?¨ Ekko chuckled ¨Come on prez, we can trust the good team not to make a big mistake, they wouldn't hurt a fly… unless said fly is one of the creatures that attacked the academy¨

¨Yeah but what about the other team?¨ Ezreal was clearly thinking about the enemies of the guardians, especially since they were something that appeared quite recently ¨They were violent and even Katarina held me as a hostage¨

¨K-Katarina?! What? How did you…?¨ The guardian was surprised, if not afraid; how did they knew the older sibling of the Du Couteau was actually the leader of the ASG, what if they actually knew about who the Star Guardians were?.

¨Oh yeah, that's just a theory Ren has; I still think it's not true¨

¨Yeah Taliyah is right, besides I think this came up because Katarina was looking at Ez¨ Ekko looked back at the blond who just focused on his notes ¨Come on, everyone knows I am the most likeable guy in this group, and yet he gets to kiss a Star Guardian, not _any_ member but their leader! And then he has a girlfriend who doesn't mind a single bit about him having his first kiss with that pink haired girl. How lucky can you be?!¨

¨Anyway, back to the theory and all¨ Ren cleared his throat ¨We know there is a traitor among the ASG, I have this information because I do have contact that has been filling me in with information. No, I won't say the person's name, not even a clue¨

Sophie's ears perked up when she heard the word `traitor´, did someone discover Cassiopeia helping the guardians? What if there was someone else in that group sabotaging their activities and leaking stuff to Ren and his club? There was also the possibility that whoever was giving this information might also have stuff on the guardians which could potentially put in danger all of the Star Guardians and their identities. She couldn't let that happen.

¨You have to tell me more, who is this contact of yours?¨ The raven haired girl leaned forward, wanting to know everything Ren had about this person and the ASG.

¨Woah, easy there; there's so much I know too, besides the traitor thing is the latest stuff¨

¨Do you know the identities of the guardians?¨

¨No, but I like to believe if we keep working on the enemy team then we might find a trail that will help us get to the actual Star Guardians¨

¨And…uh… what are you going to do with that? Don't you think the guardian's lives might get worse if people find their identities? Like… what if there are other enemies out there willing to destroy us… I mean us as in… the followers of the good team¨ Sophie's voice started to weaken a bit, she was afraid, what if Ren actually had proof that she was a Star Guardian?

¨I think I mentioned a few days ago to the club but I have no idea, literally. Maybe give them to Ahri?¨ The president thought for a moment ¨Nah, she would get rich out of our work… I don't know just yet, maybe it will be the club's secret. But until then we are pretty much empty¨ Sophie relaxed after hearing those words from her long-time friend; she and the rest of the team were safe for now but now a question would come up: Would Ren betray his friend when and if he finds the secret? She didn't knew, but at the same time it was better to hope he remained silent.

¨Anyway…¨ The student sighed ¨While I enjoyed this time with all of you…¨ Soph pulled her phone and saw the time ¨…Lux invited me to some sort of meeting/party at her home and well, I already told her I would go¨

¨Party?¨ Ekko rose from his seat ¨Can we go too? We'll say Ez invited us¨ They all looked at the blond who pulled his phone as well ¨Wait, you were invited?!¨

¨I mean… I'm Lux's boyfriend! Besides I asked her if I could bring someone and she said that she wanted me to give a first good impression to her parents¨

¨Wait, you never met her parents? That is going to be a good party if you ask me¨ Ren commented and everyone chuckled, even Ezreal who just hit the president's arm with his elbow ¨Please Soph if you ever see this guy talking to Lux's parents, I want pictures, a video¨

¨Yeah we could put it in the social medias, imagine¨ Ekko raised his hands as if simulating a big title in a wall ¨ `Young blond makes mistakes in front of girlfriend's parents´ Boom, that would become more popular than the Star Guardians in no time¨

¨Now that would be a reason for both teams to fight over Ezreal. Is he cute? A man all the girls love? No, because he is in the spotlight¨ Taliyah snickered and saw that her friend stood up ¨Have fun at the party!¨

¨I will¨ Soph pulled some money from her pockets and left it in the middle of the table ¨And don't worry boys, if Ezreal messes up there won't be a single camera pointing at him¨

¨You better watch out then!¨ The vice president countered but the student already left ¨Why do people think I'm going to mess this up?¨

¨Because you were held hostage, got the attention of the girlfriend of Lux's brother and you would've plastered your face on a mud puddle if Ekko and I weren't there to catch you¨

As the group kept talking Ren's eyes deviated from the table and looked at another one that was on the dark corner of the café; from there a woman was looking back at the president; her face didn't show any kind of friendliness or any of the sorts, she even reminded him of one of the members of the ASG due to how evil she looked.

¨So what's the next step prez?¨ The boy left the trance when Ekko asked him something.

¨We'll just investigate the girls… Kat and her people¨ He had to look at the other three students and after that his eyes went back to the woman on the corner, however she disappeared now ¨What the-¨

¨So it is decided, we'll distribute who we will investigate once we return to the academy, alright?¨ Ezreal stood up, his words full of determination ¨But seriously, now I need to go and get some good clothes¨

¨Don't fall on a mud puddle this time!¨ The white haired boy joked and as Ezreal left the rest kept talking for a few more minutes before paying and leaving the café.

…

In the cold and snowy street in front of the café the same girl that was inside was looking at Ezreal leaving and then the other three club members. She grinned as her eyes followed the president until he turned and saw this same person once again, however when a bus was blocking the view of each other the evil woman turned invisible and left the place, leaving a confused and paranoid Ren looking in that direction.

However there was someone else, a hooded figure looking from one of the alleyways, she had a clear view of the magical woman and the club president ¨Mh… they think he is a suspect… It's my fault, I need to pull pressure from him¨ She whispered and accommodated her hood so none of the white strands of hair would be visible, with that this observer turned around and walked on the alleyway.

* * *

 **Next chapter the party and it will be fun and tense, you'll know why. If not you can start guessing. Anyway this chapter was fun, made some interactions with the club and I hope to make more in the future.**

 **We are getting close to the end of the arc (Even though there's probably a lot of chapters until it comes).**

* * *

 **I'm eagerly waiting for next week, we might get Star Guardian skins on the PBE, but until then I'm just trying to not hype, at the same time I'm hoping the leak is not true. Why do I think I repeated all this on the last chapter? Can't remember and I certainly won't open up the chapter to see if I did or not.**

 **Anyway, thanks for reading this chapter, don't forget to fav, follow and even leave a review; I get happy when I see an email from fanfiction and is someone doing one (or all) of the mentioned before. And a sad Tourvelix... well it's not gonna change anything I'll still write the chapters and all.**

 **Hope you have a nice weeked and a coming week, good day/night/whateverthetimeisinyourcountry, this was Tourvelix and I'm heading to lunch, with a smile and a message to you all:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	36. Chapter 36

The night has arrived and the activity in the city was dwindling, the weekend was about to start and while Sophie would've liked to stay in her home and resting under the warm and comfy sheets of her bed but a bigger duty came, it wasn't of a Star Guardian but of a social event. The eyes of the student went to the different houses that were on the neighborhood, the sound of the engine and the integrated heater in the car kept her ears buzzing and the radio playing the local news after the long talk shows her father enjoys listening to.

¨You surely made good friends ever since you joined the academy¨ The father who was driving stopped at a red light and looked at his daughter ¨I am still surprised that those… things that are shown in the newspapers and TV attacked that place¨

¨And yet you didn't pull me from there, why?¨ The logical explanation would be to actually put that person to safety, send the children to another school or institution but her parents never seemed to find that reason.

¨Well let's go with the basics: You have a scholarship there, the best education place in Valoran City that is not a university. Second while we didn't believe the rumors of monsters and such, Runeterra Academy offered the best security, sure there was an attack according to the media but you are safe¨

¨Well I barely saw any cops, military or anything¨ She chuckled ¨So much for security…¨

¨Third…¨ The adult sighed ¨I knew you are in a good place, you probably heard what the Star Guardians are, everyone talks about them, my coworkers said their kids want to be like those girls, protecting the city and everyone¨ He grinned and looked forward, stepping on the accelerator as the light turned green ¨I am glad your future doesn't involve becoming one of those girls, don't get me wrong they are doing a good job and protecting the city and your academy, but if those girls want to become _something_ in the future then they should think not only about saving lives but also what are they going to do when they become adults. Point is, I trust those girls to keep all the students safe¨

It was funny, on the one hand Sophie was actually a Star Guardian and while that duty seemed stressful at times she also had very high grades on most of the classes. On the other hand she was still uncertain about the future and her mind was mostly focused on the current problem with the other team; why would the future matter if Katarina and her people would consume her? In any case Soph just had to solve this problem and thinking about her career would come in due time.

¨Here we are¨ The big hands turned off the radio and his eyes looked at the young one. Sophie was wearing brown jacket with white fur on the inside, a long dark blue skirt along with small black boots, inside she had a green-turquoise blouse and around her neck a small pendant with a red rock; she also carried with her a bag with very few items, even though the only thing that occupied most of the space were the two familiars which were fighting inside for some space.

¨Sophie, help us¨ The sound of Shiro begging for help as it tried to get out of the bag just for the guardian to cover the exit with her hand.

¨Heard something?¨ He looked around, trying to find the source of the squeaking sound.

¨Heh, it was probably the seat¨ With a forced and nervous smile the guardian moved in the leather seat and tried to replicate the same noises her father heard ¨Anyway, thanks for bringing me here¨

¨Don't forget, call me when you are ready to come home and I'll pick you up. If any of your friends is going to bring you back home tell me as well, mom and I are worried, even if… you have a party at such a fancy place¨ The eyes from both of them went for the Crownguard's home, she's never been there but Lux always mentioned her family was wealthy and just by looking at the front of that place the two of them could imagine what the inside could be.

¨Don't worry dad, I'll keep you updated¨ Sophie gave a kiss to her dad on the cheek and left the car, as she walked on the snow-covered street the vehicle left.

The student approached the main door and pressed the button, making a loud bell to ring form inside of the house. Soph already heard some music and people talking on the inside but no one seemed to heal the bell; before she could press it again a voice came from the intercom.

¨ _Hello? Who is it?¨_ The voice of Lux came from the device.

¨Uh.. it's me, Sophie¨

 _¨Oh, Soph. I'm coming!¨_ A different noise came from the intercom as there was no one on the other side anymore.

After a few seconds the front door opened and it showed Lux wearing a white-golden blouse and a long skirt that shared the same color as the top.

¨I am glad you came, please get in, it's freezing outside¨ The newcomer got into the house and her reaction to the interior was similar to when she entered into Katarina's home.

Unlike the other `mansion´ this one had brighter colors and more spacious areas; the paintings and plants gave a breath of life to this home. To her right was the living room in which many of Garen's friends were occupying the sofas and the TV to watch the basketball game; to the left was the dining room in which the two adults were talking and preparing the table for all the visitors. The amount of plates, cups, napkins and cutlery was immense, as if they were serving an army. After Lux's parents finished placing the table they went to the entrance to greet the newest visitor.

¨Hello, you must be one of Lux's new friends¨ The man extended his hand. He was a person close to the 50's, a well-groomed beard and wearing a gray suit along with a red tie; his hair was black even though a few strands of gray were slightly visible ¨I am Pieter, Lux's father and the person who…¨ He turned to present the mother but she disappeared ¨…should be here is Aughata, my wife¨

¨Hi, I'm Sophie¨ She extended her hand as well and saluted the old man ¨I am in the same club as Lux¨

¨At a first glance you seem like a good girl, unlike… some other people…¨ Pieter eyed at his daughter who frowned at that ¨Anyway, I need to help the mom to finish everything for dinner, if you excuse me…¨ With a ceremonial bow the adult left.

¨What did he mean by other people?¨ Sophie looked back at Lux.

¨He already knows the rest of the club members so you can have a big idea on what he meant. Come on most of the team is upstairs¨ The blonde led the way and the other student followed from behind. As she passed behind Garen's friends she just raised her hand to greet them all and then continued to follow the leader.

The second floor was something worth dedicating time to look at, the staircase led to a third floor as well but in the second one was most of the bedrooms, another bathroom and even a balcony that ended up overlooking the backyard.

¨Come, this way¨ The hallway had many doors and from one of them there was some quiet music. Lux opened the door and inside were Janna, Poppy and Lulu.

¨Hey Soph!¨ The three guardians waved their hands at the black haired girl.

With the door closed the four students found their spot in the bedroom and looked at each other.

¨I want everyone to be here so I don't repeat everything twice¨ The others were confused when Lux said those words ¨I've been investigating more and more the book we got from that secret lab Katarina's father had and-¨

¨HELLO HELLO HELLO!¨ The door opened and a wild Jinx appeared, unlike the rest who were using very delicate and beautiful clothes, the marksman was using a pair of jeans, boots and a dark blue hoodie ¨You didn't tell me this was a formal party¨

¨Ok we are all here, Jinx please close the door¨ The cyan haired frowned and followed their orders ¨Ok… the book we got has a lot of interesting information, and it worries me of how far his investigation went¨

¨How worried?¨ Poppy asked.

¨Quite, the notes mention a big entity that created the universe, one that gave life to new worlds, one of them being ours¨

¨Is he mentioning the First Star?¨ Janna was surprised, this was the first time a mortal got closer to understand what something as important as the First Star was.

¨He certainly is, no name but what frightened me the most was that there was an opposite to that entity. One that looked to devour and destroy everything the other created¨

¨The Dark Star… do you think Kat and her people know everything?¨

¨Not everything, but Marcus had some knowledge… the sphere he got had the power of a creature from the Dark Star¨ The rest of the guardians widened their eyes at this discovery ¨The artifact he created has an actual being inside, the same being that gave the powers to the other team… the same being that switched Jinx and Sophie¨

¨So if we destroy that thing we should be back to normal?¨ Jinx was ready to go, no preparation or anything, the only thing she wanted was to get her powers back as well as Shiro and Kuro.

¨I… I don't know, it is also uncertain if the destruction of the sphere would remove the powers from the other girls... but I was thinking that… what if it does? I mean, the other team loses their powers… but what if you two lose your powers as well? After all the artifact affected you¨ The guardians looked at Sophie and Jinx who were sitting next to each other ¨We can't afford losing anyone, whether is in life or power-wise¨

¨There has to be a way… there's always one¨ Sophie was calm but she knew the gravity of the situation, what it truly meant. Showing fear would do nothing but to add more pressure to the rest of their team. However while Soph was calm, Jinx was ready to burst down the door and look for an immediate solution; if it wasn't for the fact that someone was knocking on the bedroom's door. Lux stood up from her bed and and put the book somewhere safe ¨Uh… come in¨

The door opened and it revealed someone none of the guardians wanted to see, at least that night; unfortunately Lux knew she might appear. Wearing a black leather jacket and a pair of very skinny black pants along with same colored boots, their sworn enemy was now in front of them.

¨Well look who it is! You are quite good by showing up right here for your beating¨

¨Where is it?¨ Katarina asked while entering the room and looking angrily at the entire team of guardians.

¨Where's what?¨ Poppy was confused, she clearly didn't expect the red haired in the party ¨What are you looking for?¨

¨You know what I'm looking for, now give it to me or bad things will happen¨

¨Kat, we have no idea what you mean, could you at least explain?¨ Sophie acted as the voice of reason, even though more than one of the guardians wanted to kill the newcomer.

¨Somehow you got into my home and stole a book my father wrote¨ All of the girls looked at each other ¨There will be consequences, you know that… now you can make those consequences less painful or they will be even worse when they come…¨

¨Why do you even think it was us? Our objective is to fight the Dark Star, not you. The only reason we retaliate is because of human nature¨ Janna, being the wisest one left Katarina thinking ¨Why do you even fight against us? We look forward to the same thing, don't we? The Dark Star are the true problem out there¨

¨Are they? The time they attacked the academy many could've died, if it weren't for that flying thing you would've failed¨ Katarina pointed to Sophie ¨You are denying what is given to you, a power that can become better, those creatures are your test, you win you are stronger and must consume them; you fail… it's the other way around¨

¨What's your point?¨

¨Your time is over, you were given chances and every time you rejected your prize… we are just doing what you denied. I'm giving you this last chance… give up and give me the book, and we won't consume you¨ The redheaded assassin extended her hand, giving this opportunity for the guardians to surrender.

¨No…¨ Lux stood in front of Kat, imposing her presence and the ones from her team ¨What you are doing is wrong, you are nothing but monsters and do not even think just because you are more aggressive we will surrender. And no… we won't give you the book because we have no idea where it is¨

¨…¨ The silence in the bedroom made the entire thing even more tense, with the guardians ready to fight in case Katarina decided to pull their weapons and attack but in reality she would lose, without the rest of her people a 6v1 fight would mean Kat's demise ¨Very well…¨ The girl pulled her phone and sent a message as a smile was slowly drawing on her face ¨This is war¨

 _¨Kat? Where are you?_ ¨ The voice of Garen snapped everyone back to reality.

¨Good luck, you're going to need it¨ She turned and her evil face transformed into a friendly one, something quite odd for the usual Kat ¨I'm coming!¨

The guardians stood there, stunned, they thought the war has started but now this seemed like the official declaration, what kind of war would come from now on? Whatever the case they needed to be prepared, they needed to train, if there was a way to eliminate their powers without forcing Soph and Jinx to lose theirs then they had to take that path, especially if this `war´ ends up with innocent people getting injured.

After some more talk the girls went down for the dinner; some were already seated while others were looking at the TV, the basketball match was over and instead it was the local news that were airing. Everything seemed normal for a bit until there was an important message on the TV.

The reporter was on the park and the camera was recording the members of the ASG destroying the place and attacking people, the adult who was behind the microphone mistook those girls by the actual Star Guardians and thus the headline appeared that the famous guardians that protected Valoran City from the monsters became evil.

Not only Soph but everyone there looked surprised at this, some were already talking how the guardians were not doing their job right and even how the other students were put in danger. This would turn the public opinion on the Star Guardians up to the point where people would just outright hate the team.

Soph and Lux were on the front, looking at the TV but form behind Katarina was looking not only at the flatscreen but also at these two girls, she then got closer to whisper something in their ears.

¨May the strongest team… survive¨

* * *

 **I waited to write this chapter, and boy do I like it. This is war then, the two teams will try to survive but for the sake of the guardians, they better hope the ASG don't pull any other dirty strat. From now on things will change for the guardians and clearly the investigation team will also be looking into this, but for now: chaos.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading the chapter, don't forget to review, fav, follow, send deathtreats. Vacations are over and next week I'm back to college so maybe updates won't be that fast (I mean, I could've written two chapters this week but I started to play World of Warcraft again) in any case I'll probably try to push towards the end of arc before continuing with Heroes & Legends, until then this was Tourvelix, don't forget to floss and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	37. Chapter 37

The new year has started, the winter break was over and all of the students had to return to classes, even if snow was still falling. The news of the `Star Guardians´ doing more mischief were clearly on everyone's mouths, and it was not surprise that the academy had the usual visit of some police officers who were doing their own investigation about this situation, after all the Star Guardians were probably students from there as the latest big attacks originated from there.

The students were already looking for their seats, Ren was on his and looking at the window, from there he saw Sophie arriving at the main gate and talking with Lulu and Poppy. A few meters away from that group there was Katarina, Riven and other three girls, the possible suspects according to him. However out of all this the person that he was interested in saving was the white haired one.

¨Had some good vacations?¨ A familiar voice snapped him back to reality, he turned and saw the blond wiping some snow from his head ¨Are you even awake Ren?¨

¨Y-yeah…¨ The president waited until his friend sat so they could start talking properly ¨How about you? Had some good vacations?¨

¨Sort of, had to attend to the new year's eve party with Lux and her family along with my parents as well. You know, they all wanted to talk to each other¨

¨Oh yeah! I remember you had that party where Sophie went to. What did it happen?¨

¨Well I met her parents… a lot of people from the basketball team… Lux's brother… quite an interesting party¨

¨Come on, you can tell me what happened, besides I'm pretty sure Taliyah and Ekko will be interrogating too¨

¨Fine… where do I start…¨

 _A week ago_

With the darkness in the streets the blond was standing by the front door of the Crownguard house, he was wearing a black jacket and a pair of dark blue jeans and black boots, he also had a white shirt and a black bowtie, he planned to give a good first impression by at least dressing properly for the night.

¨Alright… there's nothing to fear, Lux loves me and I love Lux, her parents won't be destroying the relationship. Everything will go well¨ The vice president pressed the button on the intercom ¨It's all going well, I can do this… I can do this¨

¨ _Hello?¨_ The voice of Lux on the other side just made Ezreal tremble.

¨(I can't do this, I can't do this, I can't do this, I can't do this)¨ From the insides he spoke to himself, unable to mutter any words.

 _¨Anyone there?¨_

¨I-it's me Lux… I mean Ezreal… I mean that it's me, Ezreal, yeah…¨ He was beyond nervous, not because he would meet his girlfriend but the fact that he wanted to be perfect in this `date´ along with being in good terms with her parents.

¨Ez?! Uh… I'm… I'm not ready! Give me a minute and I'll open the door¨ The intercom cut off in the last part before Ez could even say anything.

¨Alright, everything will go fine, I just need to breath in…¨ He inhaled all the air he could and held it there for a few seconds.

The door opened and instead of exhaling normally he just coughed after seeing the person in front of him. The bulk man with dark brown hair and wearing a dark blue jacket with golden details to resemble the basketball team's colors at the academy.

¨Y-y-you are not Lux¨

¨You must be Ezreal…¨ The difference in height between the two guys was massive as the played would see the vice president from above, like an ant. His eyes went up and down, inspecting the clothes he was wearing ¨You came way too formal for a party like this¨

¨I… Lux told me to dress properly so I did¨

¨You look like you would ask my sister for marriage, is that what you want?¨ Garen raised one of his brows and leaned on the door's frame, crossing his arms and looking more menacing than ever.

¨NO, I'll never do that, I mean… I love Lux but… marriage is a bit too early… and...¨ The best word to describe the blond right now was nervous, he was about to explode.

Garen sighed and rolled his eyes ¨Get in before you get a cold¨ Scared but sure he went inside, looking at the majestic place that was Lux' home ¨My sister is still preparing herself so come, I'll show you some new friends¨ The older sibling led the smaller student to the living room so he could talk to the rest of the people from Garen's team.

They were distributed between the sofas; Xin Zhao, Jarvan and Lucian. All of them were wearing the same jacket the older sibling was using.

¨Hey isn't that Lux' boyfriend?¨

¨I present to you: Ezreal, he is in the club that investigates the Star Guardians¨

¨Oh really?¨ Jarvan leaned forward ¨So you are the competition for Ahri and her blog?¨

¨It's… technically it's not a competition, we work on our own stuff and she just takes pictures and posts them and earns money¨

¨Money?¨ Lucian looked at the blond ¨Posting stuff about the Star Guardians gives you money?¨

¨Haven't you seen Ahri? There's no way she can pay all her clothes and stuff with what her parents make¨ Xin Zhao added, raising the volume of the TV ¨What? You going to start your own Star Guardian blog Luc?¨

¨Hell nah, my only passion is basketball, not some girls flying around with her magic wands or anything¨

¨Technically they have hammers, staves and even rockets¨ Ezreal whispered but none of them listened to what he said.

 _¨Garen! Who was the one on the door?¨_ The voice of the adult not only called the attention of the older sibling but also from the newcomer.

¨I'll show him to you!¨ He yelled back and grabbed Ezreal by the shoulder ¨Come, my father would probably like to talk to you¨

The two of them went to the study where Pieter was putting some books back on the shelves, once inside Garen left the student there and closed the door so the two could have a private talk, worst thing about it was that Ezreal knew exactly what the topics will be.

¨So... you must be the person my daughter talks about¨

¨Y-yes sir…¨ He gulped, as he saw that the adult was sitting on the chair behind the desk ¨My name is Ezreal¨

¨Yes, I know, it is not the first time I heard Luxanna mentioning it. Her mother and I were surprised when she first said she had a boyfriend¨

¨I can assure you sir, I am not a person who would do anything bad to Lux¨ He noticed how the blue eyes from Pieter looked at Ezreal, as if he was trying to look at the boy's soul and know everything about him.

¨Please have a sit¨ The blond didn't hesitate and immediately followed the order ¨¨What is it you want to do with your life? Are you planning to go to college once you finish your studies at the academy? Maybe get a work?¨

¨I'm planning to go to college, but I also plan on getting a job, my family needs money so the best I can do is study and work¨

¨I see… so what do you think about my daughter?¨

¨She… she is an awesome person; happy, cheerful, I haven't seen her sad ever since I was in the academy¨

¨That is a good trait about her, she is like the spirit in this family and I appreciate that, glad that you noticed¨ The father relaxed on his chair, raising a brow as he kept looking at the student ¨I'm going to be direct about this: Do you love Luxanna?¨

¨I…¨ A direct question to be sure, it left Ezreal stunned for a few seconds before he could answer again ¨I do… sir, Luxanna brought me more happiness in my life, even when I am not feeling well she comes and… cheers me up to keep moving on. I feel my life took a step forward ever since we were together¨

¨I see…¨

The door to the study opened and the two men looked to see who it was ¨Dad!¨ The daughter frowned after she walked to the other golden haired person in the room ¨What are you doing to Ezreal?!¨

¨I was just a friendly talk, asking about what he had planned for the future¨

¨This seems more like an interrogation rather than a friendly talk¨ Lux grabbed Ezreal's hand and pulled him out of the chair ¨Come, I'll show you my room¨ As they left the boyfriend looked back at Pieter who was still observing the couple leaving.

…

Ezreal repeated the story back at the club, Taliyah and Ekko were the ones who listened this time as Quinn and Talon were clearly missing.

¨Unfortunately there were no embarrassing moments¨ Ekko crossed his arms.

¨Lux's father must be such a menacing man, now I can see where Garen probably got that from¨ Taliyah was excited, she always enjoyed love stories and this was not an exception.

¨Alright, now that the main part of this is done I want to actually show you something¨ The blond pulled his phone and opened the gallery ¨When I went to her home during new year's eve I spent some time with her on the bedroom…¨ After saying that he noticed the others were already imagining something ¨Whatever you are thinking, no, nothing happened there. Anyway, I was there and found that Lux had a strange book that was open¨ With the pictures ready he showed them to the other three members of the club ¨Do they ring a bell to any of you?¨

Ekko was clueless, but both Taliyah and Ren recognized some of those symbols, some were the same stars the Star Guardians had while the others were strange drawings that resembled to what the ASG used.

¨Wait… why would Lux have something like that?¨ Reginald was worried, was his theory actually wrong? Was Lux a member of the ASG? That would mean Katarina might be innocent and any other girl in the academy was a suspect, even Sophie.

¨I wanted to ask her but she just denied it, I love Lux and I trust her… but I'm afraid she won't tell me anything about it¨

¨Wait… so you're saying Lux is an ASG? I thought coming back to the academy would be boring but this… this brings a smile to my face¨ Ekko grinned, taking the phone and looking at the pictures closely.

¨Lux can't be one of the opposing team… right? I mean, we've all seen her, she is not evil¨

¨I know she isn't… but I don't like being kept in the dark either… if anything we know where to aim now¨

The investigation club now had a bigger lead, maybe it was the right one, maybe it wasn't; all they knew was that the book Lux had could hold a lot of information and thus it would be their objective to get more information from it, many people would be saved, including those who are already regretting being on the wrong side of this war.

* * *

 **The investigation club is going on the right track so it won't take too long until they find another key clue that will get them clsoer to the ASG and the Star Guardians.**

* * *

 **Shredder8:** _Is Ahri going to make an appearance as a star guardian soon_

 **Without a doubt, I do plan on using the Star Guardians from season 2 eventually, maybe sooner than expected ;)**

* * *

 **With college starting and WoW taking most of my time from writing I have to balance it (Especially when exams come rolling).**

 **Until then it's time to go back to the drawing (or writing) board and plan the next chapter. If everything goes well (and WoW doesn't kill me timewise) I'll try to have Arc 2 done by the end of August, if not mid-september.**

 **This was Tourvelix, don't forget to fav, follow, write a review and eat your vegetables because I hope you have a great weekend and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	38. Chapter 38

The screen on the phone showed the ASG doing more destruction around the city as well as fighting the Dark Star minions and absorbing their powers. People already feared those monsters but now with the `Star Guardians´ becoming a threat to normal people it was time to put a halt to the activities of those girls.

The actual guardians were beyond pissed; they weren't there when the monsters appeared and whenever they tried to help the bystanders did nothing but to try to attack the girls or even run away in fear. This generated a debate within the group and it led to trying to change a lot of things, with a stricter training schedules and faster response to attacks from the evil creatures. This all led to the guardians becoming more tired than usual, having to sneak in the middle of the night to defeat the Dark Star or even during classes, this of course affected their performance both during trainings, combats and even in the academy; their grades were slowly going down but unfortunately none of them felt as if there was any progress to what they were doing, the public opinion still considered the magical girls a threat.

¨I hate HER!¨ Sophie yelled, giving the phone back to Taliyah before she threw it away in this tantrum ¨She doesn't care what happens after this war, as long as we are out of the equation Katarina won't stop¨

¨I know… you tried everything but what can you do now? Returning the fire will only make you as bad as them, even I could fear there would be a backlash where you could hurt an innocent person¨

¨We won't, I know that, not even Jinx would do it¨ Sophie looked at the main courtyard, her back facing the other student.

The two girls were on the rooftop of the academy where the `bird club´ would often meet, Taliyah asked Quinn if they could be there and the latter gave them the green light. Club hours were done but they wanted to stay there before going back home and returning after the weekend.

¨Jinx and I are getting better with the others' powers… but this is not my style, I don't look like someone who would destroy everything¨

Both Shiro and Kuro came out of Soph's bag and looked at her ¨But you are doing so well!¨ The white fur creature spoke first.

¨Clearly Jinx is more experienced but you are still rocking us!¨

¨Thanks but I just want my powers back….¨

¨Soph…¨ The three of them looked back at Taliyah who was mostly focused on the two flying creatures ¨What happened to your powers?¨

¨Oh… yeah, I never mentioned it¨ The guardian turned ¨Remember when I told you we found this artifact on Katarina's home?¨ Taliyah nodded ¨Well it switched the powers Jinx and I had and now not only I have two familiars instead of one¨ She pointed at both Shiro and Kuro ¨But also the weapons I use, my outfit, literally everything changed¨

¨Oh… so I guess it's a bad time to give you something¨ This was confusing at first but then the tan-skinned girl opened her bag and pulled something out of it; once out raven haired girl did nothing but to be extremely surprised. It was a crochet doll of the original version of Sophie's transformation, it had a staff sewn with the hand, a small pair of white wings and turquoise pins for eyes ¨I knew how things are going right now and how you might need people supporting you… sure I can't fight but I still believe you are good people, that you are doing the best for the city… for all of us¨ She gave the doll to the other student who held it as if it was a baby ¨Though I guess that if you changed that thing is no longer `exact´… which makes me wonder, how do you look now?¨

¨Do I have to?¨ But Taliyah shrugged ¨Guess there's no point in telling and not showing¨ Sophie sighed and stepped back.

The usual procedure for her, the clothes changed, the hairstyle went from her regular one to the long two ponytails to each side and both familiars turned into the two weapons.

Taliyah did nothing but to stay amazed at the transformation, especially that this time her friend looked different, even if the original outfit belonged to a student that was insane ¨That is awesome… not just the transformation but the fact that you look better in that than Jinx¨

¨Thanks…¨ The weapons returned to their original form of the fuzzy flying creatures who flew to the outsider ¨If you think this is amazing you should see Jinx, she had a hard time getting used to how I was¨ But her friend was not listening ¨Tali?¨ The girl was completely dazzled by the two familiars up to the point that she was snuggling with them as if they were some pets.

¨I don't understand what they are saying but they are so CUTE!¨

¨She seems nice… just as likeable as Jinx¨ Shiro had its neutral look as Taliyah was rubbing her cheek against the soft white fur.

¨Too bad we'll have to destroy her for knowing the secret¨ Kuro was trying to fly away but the student had a tight grip around the creature.

¨No! We won't do that. Besides Taliyah is a person I trust, she knew my secret for months and no one in the academy knows my true identity, even the rest of the team doesn't know¨ Sophie crossed her arms and frowned, it was still uncertain if the two flying creatures had that attitude because of Jinx or it was the other way around.

¨Your friend is kind of special¨ The comment from the white familiar certainly attracted Soph's attention.

¨What do you mean?¨

¨She feels… warm, similar to when I'm close to you or Jinx¨ Kuro answered, still attempting to escape.

¨Well yeah, human bodies are warm, especially if we can dress like this in a very cold winter¨ Soph sighed and the two creatures returned to her after Taliyah released them ¨Anyway… you told me your club got some advancements, right?¨ The guardian initiated the transformation process to return back to normal; after a few seconds the academy uniform reappeared once again.

¨Oh, yeah. Ez told us he found a book in Lux' home and it had symbols from both the Star Guardians and the ASG, no doubt he means the one you found¨

¨This could be troublesome… anything else?¨

¨Nothing that you already don't know¨

¨Then it's time we part ways¨ Soph fully opened her bag and let both familiars ¨Maybe we shouldn't meet in these places, I don't want you to get injured because of this battle¨

¨You do know I'm not going to let you do all the work, right? There are some people out there who still support the Star Guardians. Even if the majority of the people seem to bring hate, don't listen to them, the investigation club still supports you, Ahri probably supports you, and I wouldn't doubt that a lot of the students still cheer for the Star Guardians¨

¨Best we can do now is hope for the best and prepare for the worst…¨ The guardian opened the door to the staircase but before leaving she smiled at her friend ¨… but thanks anyway, things are not going too well lately¨ With those words Sophie left, on her way to another training session.

* * *

 **Small chapter and also filler (Come on, what kind of stories don't have filler, eh?) From this point I'll start making some fast forward to spring that will later go to summer. The whole arc will end up in summer and build everything up for the next one which will feature some new and old characters, I mean, everyone can figure out what this third `season´ might be about, more on that as the arc finishes.**

* * *

 **Shredder8:** _YEAH! And your story is really good by the way meant to mention it in last post._

 **Thanks for the review, I'll keep working to improve it!**

* * *

 **Chapter late in the week, I'll go to bed now and keep grinding in WoW; are all of you ready for this week's announcement in the PBE? Riot already mentioned two new skins releasing next week as well as the Cosmic, Braum and Aurelion one (Talon and Irelia) but that with tuesday's update they will bring even MORE skins so now comes the waiting game.**

 **What skins do you think they will announce? New skin line, maybe an old one? It might be arcade, Omega Squad introducing new Yordles? Maybe a certain skin line that is very popular in League and that could certainly help a certain story because a certain character would look amazing in that skin.**

 **But enough rambling, I want to go to bed. Don't forget to fav, follow and drop a review, all of them make me happy (Maybe the angry ones don't, but nonetheless I'd like to talk). With that done I'm off, don't forget to complete your Pool Party quests and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	39. Chapter 39

Around the academy there were more people talking about the Star Guardians, even though some were trying to defend the girls. The public opinion was already against the former defenders of the city and ever since then the actual guardians were hiding or rarely fighting and even the investigation team had a hard time trying to follow the conflict between the two teams.

The months passed, and so did the exams; the finals arrived and the end of the semester was near along with the summer vacations. The warm season was still a couple days away and everyone was anxious to leave the academy and not to return for some months, however some others were antsy due to other reasons, this included Ren who had no idea what was happening to Riven since she wasn't showing up at the academy at all.

Class time was over and so were the club schedule, the president was walking towards the main door of the academy, none of the member of his club were with him but someone else was looking at him. Before he could step out the student felt a cold sensation, a hand touching his shoulder; as he turned the principal was there, looking at the boy with those menacing eyes.

¨Leaving already?¨

¨Uh... all the schedules for the day are over… s-sir¨ Reginald was still scared, even if the old man told him that he was not requiring his services for the time being, the mere presence of the principal still instilled fear ¨W-was there something you needed?¨

¨Now that you mention it… please accompany me to my office¨

¨Did I do something wrong?¨

¨Not at all!¨ He grinned, although the last thing it could give someone is happiness ¨Just a small talk in preparations for next year¨ The principal slightly tapped Ren's shoulder and the two of them walked to the second floor where the office was.

Once there the old man sat on his `throne´, looking at the papers that were still on his desk. There was silence at first, only the sound of Ren's breathing and his shoe gently tapping the wooden floor due to being nervous.

¨You do know that tomorrow is the last day of school, correct?¨ The student nodded ¨Do you have plans for your vacations?¨

¨N-not at all… sir, if something comes up and is interesting I'll do it… I guess¨

¨So something spontaneous… I like it, one can't live with a tight schedule, especially on your free time´ A loud squeaking sound came from his chair as the principal laid back ¨I am going to be honest with you mister Miles, you did quite a good job this year, the information you provided was more than enough to catch my interest. These… Anti Star Guardians are surely a mystery, not even our… `reporter´ students were able to find any lead on that¨ He coughed on the last part, making a reference to Ahri who was always following what the guardians were doing ¨It is unfortunate that you couldn't get me the names of the members of said team, or even the actual guardians¨

¨We tried but… we thought the book we mentioned was of use but we couldn't even get a hold of it¨ Through the months Ren told Ezreal to try and get the book but he failed, pushing it too far might end up with the couple breaking up for those kind of attitudes so eventually the whole attempt was left there, unsuccessful.

¨Ah yes… I remember it, so I take your investigation is halted¨

¨Unfortunately, but we will still look into it¨

¨That won't be necessary, with vacations I don't want to hear anything about the Star Guardians, so if you are going to investigate them please do not show at my house in the middle of summer, even if you have a name or anything¨ The old man leaned forward and placed his hands on the desk ¨I will be busy during those months and you saw me angry, but trust me… that is not my angriest… yet¨ He whispered the last part, looking at the door to the side which leads to the room that had all his investigation.

¨E-excuse me?¨

¨Oh? Nothing, let me get to the point so you can go to your home¨ A deep sigh and then an intense look froze Reginald in place ¨I want you to continue with your club next year, gather up more members if you want, but that club must keep going on. Present the necessary papers and I will approve them, understood?¨

¨Y-yes sir¨ The old man waved his hand and Ren stood up from the chair, he left the office and tried to stay was far away from there as possible.

On his way back to the courtyard Ren found some other people from his classroom but no one from the club, however he felt that weird sensation that someone was following him. The student turned around violently and saw a blonde girl who pushed him to one of the corridors immediately, avoiding any kind of visual contact from other students.

¨Hey what are you doing?!¨ Ren asked trying to push the girl away.

¨Giving you instructions¨ The student put her bag on the front and started to look for something.

At first the president didn't knew what was happening but after looking directly at her the boy knew who the person was ¨Wait… you are Katarina's sister, what do you want with me?!¨

¨Your club wants to help the Star Guardians, correct?¨

¨Y-yeah but-¨

¨Then give this to the guardians and by any means, do not trust or meet my sister, understood?¨

¨Why can't I trust your sister, why do you want me to give something to the guardians. Besides what could be so…¨ His words trailed off, Cassiopeia pulled from her bag a strange sphere that was emitting a strange humming, from time to time it also gave a slow and weak white pulse from the lines in the design ¨…important. What is this?¨

¨The key for the guardians to defeat the enemy team. Give them this artifact and tell them-¨ But Cassiopeia looked to where she came from and heard the footsteps, someone was coming and it was not a single person but a group ¨They are coming…¨ She couldn't finish her last sentence before Cass ran away, leaving the sphere in the hands of the clueless president.

¨Hey! Wait up! What do I have to do with this?!¨ Ren yelled, looking in the direction from where the other student fled ¨Why does this have to happen before vacations?¨ He muttered to himself and looked at the artifact ¨So this is the key to defeat the ASG? I would've chosen a different object, maybe a literal key or a scroll…¨ He chuckled and turned around, not heeding Cassiopeia's warning.

He suddenly got stopped by the group the younger sibling was running from, he was surprised mostly because he found himself in front of some menacing girls, including Katarina and especially Riven.

¨Give us the artifact¨ The red haired gave a step forward, extending her hand and waiting for the club president to return the sphere. Ren remembered the last part of the warning and instead of giving the item away he stood back, pulling the mysterious object behind him ¨Are you sure it is worth your life?¨

¨Why do you want it?¨

¨If you won't listen to me… then I know someone will¨ The emerald eyes from Katarina looked at the white haired warrior; the latter was not too eager to do this but at the same time she wanted to keep the brown haired boy safe.

¨Ren… please, give it back to us, you shouldn't be holding that¨

¨Why do you want it so bad?¨ He gave another step back ¨This can stop the enemy guardians this…¨ And in that moment Ren looked at Riven and finally connected the final pieces of the puzzle, his theory ended up being true and now he was facing the consequence of it ¨I was right… you are the ASG¨

¨Took you quite a while to find it out, seriously, you were all brave being in the middle of the fights, getting pictures and videos but none of you made the connection?¨ Katarina smiled ¨You were suspicious for a while, we thought you stole my father's notes but in the end the only thing we managed to find out about you and your club is that you got information from someone¨ Riven's muscles tensed up after hearing that ¨We had issues for a long time, we couldn't find who the rat was… but I had my theories…¨

¨A rat?¨ He chuckled ¨You are just underestimating me and my club¨

¨Oh trust me, I'm not wrong…¨ Katarina gave a step forward but Ren did the same once again ¨Since you are not going to cooperate we will have to do it the hard way¨ The leader turned to her friend ¨Riven, take the item from the president's hands¨ Her smile was slowly getting bigger, almost in a scary way; she knew the warrior was not eager to do that and she wanted to exploit it ¨Something wrong? Does this kid mean anything to you?¨

¨He will fight for the orb, you know our rules… we do not injure innocent people¨

¨Are you willing to risk everything for a person you barely know? Besides…¨ Katarina slowly crept her hand to one of the pockets from her bag ¨He is not innocent at all¨ The rapid movement from her hand pulled a small knife that was going directly for Reginald's head.

The projectile was already flying and the president's first instinct was to cover himself to avoid getting killed, even if he dropped the sphere he would survive. The only thing was that he felt nothing, was it a magical knife? Was he actually dead? His eyes were closed at first but when he opened them a purple, almost pink shield was surrounding him, the knife fell to the ground and the bubble that he was in disappeared. As he turned, the student saw the Star Guardians who were already prepared to fight against Katarina and her people.

¨Even in these dire times you try to save people?¨ Katarina said and the other four people near here started to transform. Eventually the red haired girl was covered in a black and white light and she completely changed to her ASG uniform ¨There is only one reason why you all ended up in this situation: You. Are. **Weak**.

¨You confuse power with strength, that will be your downfall. Strength does not come from being able to defeat your enemies only, but from the people around you, your friends and family; your team. Considering everything weak will end up with you being alone¨ The leader of the guardians spoke up and pointed her staff at the enemy assassin.

¨Is that so? We'll see who is alone after **I** kill your team… but first¨ Katarina looked at Ren and she dashed forward, trying to attack him and snatch the orb from his hands, however the enemy leader felt something, a strong gust of wind that pushed the president away and towards the Star Guardians.

Janna used her powers to put the innocent student out of the way and then did the same to return Katarina back to her team.

He looked back, the hallway now crumpled with both teams, he stood there, frozen as he waited for something to happen, then the girl with the turquoise hair eyed her friend ¨Ren, run!¨ And he nodded, even if there was confusion as to how she knew his name.

Miles ran away, escaping from the academy. On the way to the bus stop the student found himself with the vice president who was talking with Taliyah.

¨Guys… GUYS!¨ He fell to the ground but thankfully his two friends helped him back up ¨We have to go, the guardians… the ASG… in the academy´

¨Ren, slow down, what is happening at the academy?¨ Ezreal was worried, this was one of the few times he saw his friend like that, and it was usually some bad news.

¨The Guardians… they are fighting the ASG at the academy and… and-¨ His voice was immediately cut after the students felt the ground trembling for a second, it stopped but then again a new tremble ¨What was that?¨

¨An earthquake? In Valoran City? Impossible!¨ Taliyah looked up and saw something strange on the distance, her eyes widened and the heart skipped a beat ¨G-guys…¨

¨What?¨ The two kids looked at Taliyah but they didn't get an answer, instead they had to follow what her eyes were aiming at and eventually they saw it.

A big creature, almost as big as a skyscraper and more menacing than any of the creatures the Star Guardians fought so far. A dark purple monster with four arms and a mouth that could tear any building in half. After taking another step and causing a third tremble the creature growled, calling everyone's attention and delivering a message that not even the Star Guardians would be able to stop, especially if they were on their own war.

* * *

 **And so it begins. The next chapters will go on with this `final´ battle between the Star Guardians and the ASG, but things will get even more complicated as a creature from the Dark Star appeared, and it is not one of the original ones he already summoned but an entity made out of pure Dark Star energy (Imagine my happiness when Riot released that skin)**

 **Next chapter will tell everything that happened from Soph's perspective as well as what happened with the enemy team before finding Ren.**

* * *

 **Riot... please, I need money right now, you can't release those skins back to back, and even then they will probably release some more Star Guardian skins. This is not easy for me (or my wallet)**

 **Well, that's it for today, I'll head on to do some other stuff (namely playing) as well as going back to the drawing board for the next chapter.**

 **Don't forget Worlds is around the corner too!**

 **This was Tourvelix on the verge of getting a cold, and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	40. Chapter 40

With the summer vacations closing in the Literature Club had one of the last meetings for that semester, their progress on the war against the ASG was not going so well as most of the times the other team had the upper hand and were there first. Katarina and her people were getting stronger and whilst the guardians were also gaining more power it was not enough to rival their enemies, even though tactics and such might give the guardians a lead in case a new battle arises.

With a lot of darkness in the classroom only the lamp from the ceiling was the only source of light, all the guardians gathered up in a circle, Lux was the one gathering all of the attention since she had her phone in the middle of this circle, showing the rest of the team the pictures from the book.

¨I think I found a way to remove all of the ASG's powers without causing any backlash on them or us¨ Lux started and swept her finger across the screen ¨The `Stone of the Void´ as it is referred is unstable but with enough energy we can redirect part of its source to somewhere or something, in this case the other girls¨

¨How about us? Are we going to stay like this while we defeat them? I'm getting used to the hooves and the horn but this ain't my style¨ After months of training Jinx was able to complain less about her powers, even though sometimes she argued with Sophie to return both Shiro and Kuro to her.

¨I agree, surely exploding and shooting could relieve some stress but if anything it's Jinx who should be doing this job¨

The rebel noticed this and she couldn't do anything but to grin and place her arm around the dark haired girl ¨Wait a second… Don't tell me that after all this time you are enjoying my powers?¨

¨I mean… it's fun to break some things every now and then… r-right?¨ It was true, Sophie started to enjoy shooting and blowing stuff up but unlike Jinx, Miller was far more calm and without any desires to kill whatever pissed her off.

¨Oh no… we have another Jinx in the making…¨ Poppy huffed ¨We should find a way to revert their changes before they blow up the academy¨

¨I also found out that if we overload the artifact then not only we can break it but we can also return everything to normal¨ Lux pulled the phone back to herself and looked at the rest of the team ¨We need to get that thing and find a way to charge it up¨

¨Is that wise Lux?¨ Janna asked ¨The first time it was Sophie and Jinx that were affected, we won't know how the rest of us could end up. It is very risky¨

¨I know… I know… but the notes tell so much and my intelligence is limited in this case, this is not a power from the First Star or the Dark Star itself but instead it's something weirder. I'm afraid that if we don't do this then sooner or later we'll be in tro-¨ Lux's words were not finished as everyone's eyes were distracted by the low thud that came from the door, a heavy kick and an angry Katarina storming in.

All of the guardians were ready since the leader of the ASG was not alone, the rest of her squad also came in and cornering the different members of the team. Katarina focused on Lux as she grabbed the blonde by the uniform and pushed her against the blackboard, then she put her arm on the guardian's neck and pushed it.

¨WHERE. IS. THE. ARTIFACT?!¨ She yelled, not caring a single bit if any outsider was listening.

¨W-w-what?¨

¨DON'T W-WHAT ME, I KNOW YOU HAVE IT. FIRST YOU INFILTRATE IN MY HOME, THEN YOU STEAL MY FATHER'S JOURNAL AND THEN YOU COME BACK TO STEAL SOMETHING THAT BELONGS TO US!¨ The red haired girl was furious, if it weren't for the missing item she would've killed Lux right there ¨WHERE IS IT?!¨

¨I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!¨ Lux yelled back, for once she was not lying ¨WE WERE IN THE ACADEMY THE WHOLE DAY, YOU SAW US¨

Katarina wanted it to be false but deep inside she knew the mage was telling the truth, she and her team had a close eye on all of the members and in any moment they left the academy's walls. With utmost frustration the leader pushed Lux to the teacher's desk and frowned ¨Then if you didn't do it… then someone did…¨

¨Clever observation grumpy!¨ Jinx taunted her enemy, earning a deadly gaze from the latter.

¨We clearly don't want more problems now¨ Soph tried to be the voice of reason for the rebel at her side, but when this last one wanted to walk away Riven pushed the two girls back.

¨You have allies here… people who still support the Star Guardians, but why?¨ Katarina mumbled, walking away from Lux ¨What if they are your spies? Your volunteers? In the end it won't matter, either they give up or will suffer the same consequences¨

¨Is that your plan then? Kill whoever has an opinion against your team?¨ Janna decided to talk this out, there was no way a person like Katarina would become a serial killer just because of the public opinion ¨Listen to reason, you are fighting a pointless war, what are you planning to get out of this?¨

¨Power… that's all that matters, without it there's no way to defeat the Dark Star¨

¨There will be a moment where you will cross a line between human and monster…¨ Lux tried to stand up, after getting pushed she almost fell but managed to use the desk as support ¨The way I see it, that line is no longer there¨

¨You little-¨ Katarina raised her fist to give a solid punch to the blonde but before she could do anything the girl felt an excruciating pain, after her the rest of the ASG suffered the same pain up to the point the five went to the ground, screaming in pain.

¨Your words surely have some impact… literally¨ Jinx said jokingly, tapping Riven with the tip of her shoe ¨Maybe next time I won't try to argue with you¨

¨The… artifact…¨ Katarina stood up, looking at the rest of her team ¨Something triggered it…¨ Her eyes then turned back to the leader of the guardians ¨What does it matter if you are a monster? When this ends we'll be the heroes of our own story. Let's go!¨ The red haired woman turned and the rest of her team followed her.

¨What do we do?!¨ Lulu was nervous and looked at Lux in hopes of receiving an answer.

¨We have to take this chance, if Katarina finds the person who stole the sphere then she will kill it. Come on, hustle!¨ The Star Guardians did the same and tried to follow the ASG out of the classroom but their trail disappeared and they all had to split up to find them.

…

Once in the courtyard, Sophie decided to look in the different rooms that were on the main floor, from the library to the gym and then the cafeteria, but there was no sign of Katarina or any of the others.

¨Where are they…¨ She whispered to herself, getting more anxious the more rooms she explored ¨Come on…¨ During her search the guardian found Taliyah and Ezreal going towards the entrance of the academy ¨Tal, have you seen Katarina or any of her friends?¨

¨The only person related to her was her sister which ran into me a few minutes ago, she was in a hurry, I don't know¨ Taliyah looked past Sophie and saw on the other side of the courtyard the people that her friend was looking for ¨Hey, there they are!¨ The raven haired looked back and saw them, she had a worried look on her face and the other student noticed ¨Soph… what's going on?¨

The guardian got closer so Ezreal couldn't hear it ¨Stay away from the Academy, I can't promise anything but chances are there will be a fight¨

¨But-¨

¨Stay. Away.¨ The two of them looked at each other in the eyes and eventually Taliyah nodded, knowing she could not do anything ¨Now go¨

¨Come Ez, we shouldn't stay here¨ Taliyah grabbed the blond by the wrist and pulled him through the entrance.

¨W-wait, what's going on?! Sophie?!¨

With the two of them gone the guardian pulled her phone and sent a message to the others to meet with her behind the western bathrooms. Surprisingly she was the last one to arrive; everyone was overlooking from the side and noticed how Ren was facing the ASG while at the same time he carried the artifact those girls were looking for in the beginning.

The whole scene happened, the guardians transformed and stepped in just before Reginald was about to get attacked.

¨Even in these dire times you try to save people?¨

While Katarina was talking to Lux, Sophie got closer to the advisor and tried to whisper something to her ¨Janna, we need to get Reginald out of there, any way you can pull him to us?¨

¨I can try something, but it won't be too subtle…¨ Janna started to move her staff in circular motions, charging it for her next spell.

¨You confuse power with strength, that will be your downfall. Strength does not come from being able to defeat your enemies only, but from the people around you, your friends and family; your team. Considering everything weak will end up with you being alone¨

¨Is that so? We'll see who is alone after **I** kill your team… but first¨ Katarina dashed forward but then Janna casted her spell. In that hallway the force of wind was becoming stronger and it allowed to push the enemy leader away, then a second gust of wind returned and pulled Ren away from the danger.

With the student now away from that area Sophie looked back at him who was now standing up ¨Ren, run!¨

¨Soph, focus!¨ Lux attracted her attention and the team was now ready to fight the ASG.

¨if you won't let us get what is rightfully ours… then we'll deal with you first, one way or another¨ Katarina pulled her daggers and frowned, she wanted this and so did the rest of the team, even if some had their doubts

¨If that's the case then hope you can catch us first. Come on, follow me!¨ With the first part Lux taunted, knowing that the ASG will surely follow while the second part was directed to her squad mates.

The six Star Guardians immediately flew away from the hallway and rose up in the sky, trying to avoid the academy at all cost, they had the idea of fighting in a place where they would have enough space to not hurt any innocent people; the same place where they first met Katarina and had plenty of battles: The park.

The guardians were faster but the enemy team was not giving up, some were casting their spells at the flying girls and Katarina wanted to get close but with no success on her part. Eventually this chase ended up with the two groups on that known place that had seen plenty of conflict throughout the months, this time won't be different as a new battle would be held, the only difference would be that only one team would remain victorious.

¨This is what you wanted? Keep innocent people safe?¨

¨We have rules Katarina, we fight against the Dark Star and save those in need, you do nothing but to hurt everyone who looks like a threat to you¨ Lux was the spokesperson for the Star Guardians, there was no doubt her role as a leader shined in this moment, even if her words would not dissuade her enemy from giving up.

¨You don't understand, you think we are the bad ones but in reality we are just the complete opposite, we do save people but when idiots like you or your squad decide not to do the work how it is intended then we come in. We can do this the easy way: Give up now and we will consume you, fast and painless; but if you do resist… then you will suffer, and everyone around you will face the consequences as well, starting from that stupid investigation club your friends made¨

Sophie gasped, she had her reason to protect the people from that club: Taliyah, Ren, those people were great friends and failing to win this battle meant also failing to them. But she wasn't the only one as the leader wanted to protect her boyfriend.

¨So be it…¨Lux whispered ¨In the name of the First Star we shall defeat you AS-¨ The heavy quake startled everyone. The heads of the girls turned and saw the gigantic Dark Star monster heading deeper into the city ¨What is that?!¨

¨A being created by the Dark Star and infused with pure energy from the darkest parts of the galaxy¨ Janna faced these creatures in the past but her actual team never faced any of them, and in this circumstance the battle would be even harder considering there would be two enemies to fight against.

* * *

 **This is what happened from the Star Guardians' side, however next chapter will also feature the guardians and less from Ren since it will be a full-on fight chapter. I like to think maybe 2 more chapters and then a third one for the ending/finale of arc 2 and begin with the teasing of the third one.**

* * *

 **Guest:** _This is getting very interesting! keep this up._

 _Can't Wait till Dark Star Champions (Jarvan , Orianna , Cho Gath) show up, so it willl be a SG vs ASG vs Dark Star!_

 **Thank you for your support! But I'm sorry to disappoint you that a battle between all of the Dark Star, the ASG and the SG won't happen in the next chapter. The first ones will appear eventually but not in this battle.**

* * *

 **The weekend arrived and I'm happy that I'm getting to the end of the end of the arc as I have a lot of ideas for it. But for now it's time for me to return to games, studying and the writing board, the next one will require some thinking.**

 **This was Tourvelix, hope you have a great weekend and don't forget to try Nexus Blitz (even though I haven't played League in a week) but above all else:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	41. Chapter 41

¨So that is how the Dark Star looks like?¨ Katarina grinned, her emerald eyes focused on nothing but the gigantic creature that was not too far away from this upcoming battle. She focused back on the guardians and held a tight grip on her blades ¨You'll be the first ones… then that thing over there… will be ours to take¨

¨Do you even listen to what you are saying?!¨ It was clear for the leader that Katarina had ambitions, even if those were borderline psychotic at this point.

¨How is she going to eat that monster by herself?¨ Lulu wondered which attracted a confusing look from her fellow Yordle.

¨Katarina… please, there's no need to-¨ But something unexpected happened, a rocket flew over Lux's shoulder. The ASG were able to dodge the projectile but most importantly, the eyes from all of the girls were directed to the one who fired it.

At first Sophie had a determined look on her face, almost angry but it didn't took long for her to realize the actual mistake ¨I… I don't know what I did… it felt like the _right_ thing to do was to shoot¨

¨It might seem that the exchange in powers is also affecting your personality¨ Shisa commented ¨You will slowly become Jinx if you both don't return to normal… though I wish my _new_ guardian would be more like you…¨

¨Sophie that was AWESOME!¨ Jinx yelled, placing her arm around her neck ¨But between you and me, your aim sucks, you were supposed to kill them, not throw a warning shot¨

¨I said I didn't-¨

¨Watch out!¨ Poppy yelled and everyone focused on the front as a wave of vines was moving at high speed towards them. While the majority of the guardians flew away Poppy twirled the hammer and hit the ground with such force that the plants jumped out and laid lifeless on the dirt ¨Let's see if you can do that again¨

¨Don't worry, the show just started…¨ Katarina grinned and dashed forward, now it was their turn.

…

¨That's what she meant…¨

¨What?¨ Ren looked at Taliyah, both her and Ezreal's eyes were focused on the monster that was far away ¨Guys we have to find the Star Guardians¨

¨Why's that?¨

¨Because of this¨ The president pulled the artifact from his bag and the two students were amazed at the item Ren had in his hands ¨Cassiopeia gave this to me and said that I needed to give this to the guardians¨

¨Could that be the thing from Lux' book?¨ Ezreal wondered out loud, he remembered a drawing of this sphere but had no idea what it was exactly or what it was capable of doing ¨What if… this was a trap so the ASG could defeat the guardians? You did say Cass gave it to you and she is Katarina's sister, your main suspect¨

¨Katarina is not the main suspect, Katarina **is** the leader of the ASG¨ The other two students widened their eyes, this time the brown haired sounded more secure about this claim ¨She tried to kill me over this thing, who does that?!¨

¨Then everything makes sense! Remember that idea of a traitor, Ren?¨ The president nodded ¨Well, Katarina trusts her family and her team, why would a member of the ASG try to destroy their own team, it's pointless, but Cassiopeia? She might be jealous of her sister, or who knows¨

¨That… does make sense…¨ Ezreal thought about it, the idea did fit with the traitor theory and with enough evidence they could point out that the person betraying the ASG was in fact Katarina, even if Reginald knew Cass wasn't the only one ¨So considering we have to bring that thing to the Star Guardians only one question remains: Where are they?¨

¨They'll probably be fighting that monster or the ASG, or both¨ The boy carrying the artifact put it back on the bag ¨I am afraid that if we want to find them we'll have to go in the middle of the conflict¨

After those words a strong wind came from the street to their left, it was an unnatural and they knew the source of said gale was not the monster itself but something else. The three club members looked at each other and ran in the direction the wind came from, eventually they would find the guardians, although they feared the monster might get attracted to both teams.

¨(Hold on Riven, we are coming)¨

…

Janna's feet touched the ground after summoning the winds, this created a safe zone for the rest of the guardians while the ASG were surrounding them.

¨We need a plan!¨ Sophie yelled, firing her weapons at the enemies that were getting close so they could stay back.

¨They are strong… when did they get more powerful?¨ Lulu muttered, looking at Jinx who was healing the wounds of the injured guardians.

The battle was not going in the Star Guardians' favor, the difference in power was immense and Katarina was the one who could lead their team to victory alone. On the other hand Lux was trying her best to protect her friends rather than trying to destroy the ASG, especially since the now pink-haired didn't wanted to kill a human being; the creatures from the Dark Star are completely different but a person was something she couldn't do it.

¨Giving up already? What was all that about the team and everything? Do you honestly think that just because you are close to each other you could defeat me?¨ Katarina's taunt did nothing but to cause more anger into the guardians ¨All this time you failed the battles against us, we consumed the monsters, that was our objective but did we use that power?¨ She chuckled ¨Why demonstrate our progress for such a pointless battle? This however… is the true test, and I'd say we are passing with flying colors¨

¨Yeah right… all you are doing is delaying the inevitable, how long until you go mad and decide to kill your own team, friends, family?¨ Jinx yelled ¨Why don't we decide this with a fist fight, huh?!¨

¨Where's the fun in that? Besides you should be aware of your surroundings more¨ Kat slightly tilted her head and one of the members grinned.

The next thing they all heard was Janna screaming. The guardian was trapped by vines that came form behind, another set of those also trapped Zephyr and made the staff fall to the ground.

¨Janna!¨ The other four guardians reacted but only Poppy was getting ready ¨Hold on, I'm getting you out of there¨ The Yordle held her hammer tight but before she could swing the little girl felt something wrapping her, a binding that was not letting her move or do anything, eventually she lost her strength and the hammer fell to the ground.

¨No!¨ The leader shook her head ¨Jinx, Lulu, help Janna and Poppy, we can't let them-¨ The screams from Lulu startled the three remaining guardians as the other Yordle was tackled by the invisible woman. At first it the green haired was on the ground but after a few seconds the shadowy girl appeared, her `tails´ aiming directly at Lulu's face while she strangled Pix with one of her hands.

¨What's wrong? Lost control of the battle?¨

¨This isn't right… we have to do something¨ Lux whispered and looked at the two remaining guardians that weren't trapped ¨Any ideas?¨

¨Yeah, I'd say Soph shoots at all of them, we rescue the others and then go fight the monster¨

¨I'm being serious! The odds are against us, we need the rest of the team so we can survive¨

¨Then we focus on our people, and then on the enemy. I'd say that the best tactic is- JINX WATCH OUT¨ The redhead turned and saw Riven jumping, her blade going down as she tried to attack Jinx, however the latter used her staff to block the hit.

The grinding between the two weapons showed that even the rebel had enough strength to hold this battle against Riven, even though she didn't consume any monsters in a long while. After trying to break Jinx' defense, the guardian pushed the white haired's blade away and sucker punched the warrior in the nose making her fall. Jinx grinned and looked back at the two confused guardians ¨What? Just because I use magic now doesn't mean I can't do other things¨

¨It is unfortunate...¨ Katarina was disappointed about how her friend lost to a weakling ¨Guess I'm the only one who can defeat you¨

¨Wait, that's it!¨ Sophie's brain came up with a new idea as this person smiled ¨Katarina wants power and she won't care about her team, not even her friends. We are outnumbered right now but how about we change that? We put all of the ASG against Katarina¨

¨Are you kidding me Soph?! How are you even expecting to do that?¨

¨We'll let Kat do the whole work…¨ Sophie gave a step forward and frowned at the enemy leader ¨Nice job, you almost defeated us, you and your team¨

¨Almost? Wait until I go there and finish the job myself¨

¨Oh I'm pretty sure that you can, but why not let any of your squad do the job? They need more representation as well¨

¨Soph what are you doing?¨ Lux whispered, she wanted this plan to work but all and all seemed like a very bad idea.

¨You've seen what Riven did, I can't imagine what the rest of the girls won't be able to do¨

¨Excuse me?¨ The angel looked at Katarina, her hand turned into a fist and with her brows frowned ¨We can do as much as you, even better¨

¨Please Morg, do not make me laugh; what are you going to say? That you captured one of those Yordles? That was pure luck¨

¨Hey don't treat her like that, what we did was a team effort¨ The plant mage walked to Katarina ¨Are you really going to act like this in the final battle? Because if that's the case… then I don't want to fight alongside you¨

¨Insubordination? That goes against the rules¨

¨What rules?¨

¨ **My** rules¨ Katarina saw how those two team members were walking away while Riven and the other girl were on the ground and focused on the downed guardian respectively ¨Fine… if you don't want to fight by my side… then I'll make you useful in a different way¨ The red haired woman held her dagger and dashed forward to the (according to her) traitors.

…

The club members ended up arriving at the park where they heard the sounds of fighting; the monster was not too far and they feared it might turn their eyes to the battle.

¨Hope we are not too late¨ Taliyah said, she was running out of breath after running from the academy to the park.

¨I should've followed Talon and joined his club…¨ Ezreal wanted to have a break but the moment he decides to stop the other two would be far away ¨Why are we even getting in the middle of the conflict again?¨

¨Because we want to give the sphere to the guardians, maybe that way they can defeat the enemy team¨ As they were getting closer to the middle they saw the guardians trying to free their friends ¨There they are, we have to- Wait… what in the world…¨ Ren and the others saw Katarina floating with a pair of black feathery wings on her back, from her hands a set of thick vines were wrapped on the invisible girl which was slowly getting dragged towards the leader of the ASG, Riven on the other hand was standing, her face showed fear as the person she called friend became a monster after consuming half their team. Eventually the Kat consumed the third member and from her lower back two sharp tails came out, she looked satisfied, as if the new surge of power was something she wanted for a long while.

¨Did she just… no…¨

¨She did… she consumed her teammates¨ Taliyah answered what the blond started, there were no words to describe how they were feeling, probably fear as the woman was now more deadly than before, and worse, she was even more insane.

From up there, Katarina grinned at the guardians ¨Insubordination is something I do not like… they served me well and even after their betrayal, they still have their use¨ The leader looked at her wings and the tail, she also noticed the three club members that just recently arrived ¨Would you look at that? This day gets better and better…¨

Everyone looked at Ren, he wasn't supposed to be there, especially since he still carried the artifact with him.

¨No…¨ Sophie whispered and then looked at Katarina, she knew what the girl was going to do.

¨Let me deal with you first…¨ The green eyes from the enemy leader turned read, full of fury, hatred and an unnatural force that was beyond Katarina's grasp, as if the student was no longer herself. With a flap from her wings, the empowered team member rushed at high speed against the defenseless Ren.

¨REN, NO!¨ Both Sophie and Riven screamed as the two of them tried to run towards the club president.

* * *

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	42. Chapter 42

The door to the principal's office opened, the mysterious woman that has been visiting this room stepped inside once again, looking at the old man who had his eyes focused on the monster that was attacking the city.

¨I am surprised the Star Guardians haven't showed up to defeat it¨ The principal said, his hands were on the pockets as he slightly turned his head to look at the newcomer ¨I suspect you have good news¨

¨Even better, two people are in, only one left¨ She left the file on the desk ¨Perhaps you know who our third chosen would be¨

¨I do not¨ He fully turned, taking the file and placing it with the others ¨But I do suspect she knows someone¨ The principal sat once again on his chair, then from the desk he pulled a set of papers and gave them to the woman ¨Ready for the next semester, if anyone asks, you have enough proof¨

¨Thank you…¨ She grabbed the papers and had a look at them ¨Quia? An ionian surname?¨

¨Fits you, now go… I must see nothing goes wrong¨ Without saying anything else the future-student departed and the principal once again turned to see the creature in the distance.

* * *

Katarina flew at high speed, her objective was to eliminate Ren and take the artifact from his hands but unfortunately for her someone arrived first and received the impact on the shoulder. The white haired yelped in pain and with her sword she pushed Katarina away.

As the warrior kneeled, she used the blade as support, from behind Ren tried to help her ¨Riven!¨

¨Riven?!¨ Both Taliyah and Ezreal looked at each other, surprised at this.

¨Why did you do it?!¨ The president yelled, trying to grab some tissue paper from one of the pockets of his bag in order to cover the wound but the girl refused ¨Why?!¨

¨You are an idiot, you know that?¨ She looked up and met with those worried eyes of his ¨Putting yourself in unnecessary danger…¨ Riven winced as she tried to stand up.

¨And there she is…¨ Katarina taunted ¨I wanted to believe you weren't the one, that Eve was just making the accusations up, but in the end she was right¨ She chuckled ¨Maybe I shouldn't have consumed her so quickly, but I must admit, this power of hers is quite interesting¨

¨You changed Katarina, you are not the same friend who told me about her father's secret a year back, you became a monster, and many died for it!¨ Even if she was injured, the warrior stood up and tried to face the leader of her destroyed team ¨I remained silent as you broke many of our rules, but now I can't let you, you crossed the line!¨

¨Is it because I consumed our teammates or because I am attacking that person in particular?¨

Riven slightly looked back at Ren and then back at Katarina ¨Because you are trying to kill innocent people, this war of yours is nothing but a madwoman's crusade to become the most powerful being on Earth. Is it really worth it? Losing your own humanity for power?¨

But the leader remained silent, has she finally figured out this was pointless? That she became something she did not want to? Katarina just smiled and disappeared in thin air just to reappear a few seconds later behind Riven, a sadistic look on her face and with both daggers aiming at the girl's skull ¨I haven't got this far just to be stopped by a ridiculous speech!¨

But before she would even touch Riven, the redhaired got hit by a branch and gave enough time for the warrior to push her new enemy against a tree. They looked back and saw that Ezreal was holding the blunt object that disoriented the insane girl.

¨That's what you get for hurting me for the first time!¨ But Katarina slowly recovered, looking angrily at the blond ¨I… uh… I mean… sorry?¨

Riven stepped in between them, trying to protect the club members ¨Look for some place to hide, I'll take care of her¨

¨Wait, I need to do something first¨ Ren ran towards Lux and gave the artifact to her ¨I was told I should give you this, it can help you against the ASG¨

¨It will… thanks¨ Ren nodded and then his eyes turned at the two guardians that were switched ¨You should go, we will handle this¨ With that Ren returned with his friends and hid behind the trees, trying to stay away from the combat but at the same time being close enough to watch it.

While this happened, Riven and Katarina started to fight again and the guardians did nothing but to look at until the other students were safe. Lux looked at the sphere on her hand and the rest of her team grouped up around her.

¨This is it?¨ Poppy asked ¨Looks very well detailed but at the same time underwhelming for something that could define this battle¨

¨Maybe that was the point!¨ Lulu said cheerfully ¨So no one could find it¨

Jinx immediately took the sphere from Lux's hands and shook the object as if it were a toy ¨Come on, give me back my powers!¨ She then rubbed the item against Sophie's arm ¨We are both touching it, why you don't work?!¨

¨Maybe it needs some power or anything, but first…¨ The leader took the sphere back and held it with one hand while on the other was her staff ¨Let's finish this!¨

The guardians were ready to fight but the moment they tried to help Riven the ground started to shake and between the two groups a set of spikes blocked their path; as they looked up the Dark Star monster. Lux noticed something curious, the artifact started to act violently, humming and vibrating considering it was close to the spikes ¨What if…?¨ She looked at the creature and thought of something ¨I have an idea¨

¨Please don't make us go into that monster¨

¨This thing reacts with the energy from the Dark Star, we can use that creature to overload the sphere and with that return everything back to normal¨ Lux looked at the blue haired Yordle ¨Poppy, how far can you throw the sphere with your hammer?¨

¨More than enough to hit that ugly beast¨ The rest of the guardians gave Poppy some space as she prepared herself to hit the ball with her hammer as a baseball bat ¨Ready when you are!¨

Lux threw the artifact and the Yordle hit the ball with haste, charging the shot and allowing it to move at high speed towards the gigantic creature. The plan was perfect, flawless but they all counted on Riven to hold Katarina enough for their tactic to work, unfortunately it didn't work as a shadow moved faster than the artifact itself and managed to grab it; the guardians looked to the side and saw that Riven was sitting by a tree, injured and with the three club members around her, trying to keep her alive.

¨Instead of wasting such a precious object… why not give it to me instead? After all… it belongs to **ME**!¨ Katarina's voice changed in that last part as she rose one of her hands, making vines appear at the feet of the guardians ¨Did you honestly think it would be that easy? That I would be defeated by the likes of you?!¨ The vines started to tighten around the girls' legs as they were going up, some of them dropped their weapons already ¨I mean, look at them!¨ She turned to face the Dark Star monster ¨Creatures like these could mean the death of a lot of people, but imagine how powerful they can be… imagine how powerful **I** could be…¨

Back on the ground the group was struggling to get free, Sophie looked at her two familiars who were floating beside her. The now-marksman for the team had a look at both of them and then at Katarina ¨Shiro… Kuro… I need you both¨ With an affirmative sound the familiars turned into the rocket launcher that usually the black creature transforms into ¨Are you ready?¨ Before she pulled the trigger, the guardian felt a slight push on the other hand of the weapon, as she looked down to see what it was Soph noticed that Jinx was that person.

¨I'm not going to stay trapped here while you get to have the last bit of fun¨ The two girls smiled and looked at the crazy woman floating, still talking to herself ¨Ready Soph?¨

¨Ready¨

¨Shiro. Kuro. FIRE!¨ Both guardians said and the black and white projectile flew, going directly towards Katarina.

While the leader of the broken ASG finished talking she turned but had no idea what was coming since the rocket was already centimeters away from her. Eventually both touched but the combined efforts of Shiro and Kuro were stronger as Katarina was being pushed towards the Dark Star monster ¨YOU… WILL NOT… **DEFEAT ME!¨** But her screams were soon blocked by the incessant scream from the gigantic creature that was hit by the projectile.

With its last breaths the beast started to hit some buildings and stomping on its surrounding until it started to dismantle, the different appendages turning into cosmic dust until there was nothing. Soon the vines that surrounded the guardians disappeared, when the rest of the team turned to look back at Jinx and Sophie the two of them were back to normal, along with their familiars and powers.

¨Did… did we win?¨ Lulu asked and the six of them looked at the city; clearly the damage was extremely big and they couldn't do anything to stop the creature, even though they managed to finish with one.

¨It's a pyrrhic victory¨

¨A what now?¨ Jinx looked at Janna, she never heard that term before and though the purple haired was inventing it.

¨We won… but the costs of this victory, we can't even consider it as one¨

¨Look, Riven is up!¨ Poppy pointed at the group of four that was by the trees and ran towards them ¨Are you ok?¨ The warrior was injured, not only she still had the wound on her shoulder, she had many cuts in her face, arms and the rest of the body, it was a surprise to see her alive. However she just frowned and looked at the destroyed city, after that she just prepared to jump and then flew away ¨Yeah don't worry we are okay! … Idiot¨

¨Are you guys ok?¨ Lux asked, her eyes mostly focused on the blond who still had the branch in his hands.

¨We had better days…¨ Ren chuckled ¨So… what happens now? Is Katarina…?¨

¨Probably, that impact either finished her or just put her in a very injured state, in any case she shouldn't bother¨

¨For now…¨

¨Or forever, if we are lucky¨ Jinx ended, already carrying her old familiars under her arms ¨What? Soph and I did what we had to¨

¨Soph?¨ The president looked at the different guardians until he stopped at the one with turquoise hair ¨Sophie?¨

¨It's kind of a long story... but don't worry, one day I'll tell you¨ The guardian answered with a smile as she held the staff tight.

¨Oh I'll ask you during vacations, trust me¨

¨Yeah… we'll see about that…¨ Sophie's ears perked up as she heard the sound of the police sirens nearby ¨The cops¨

¨We must go, no one likes us, remember?¨ Lux said and the different guardians split up.

The three remaining students looked at all the mayhem caused by the battle and the monster, they looked at each other, almost in awe ¨We should leave too, right?¨ The president asked and the other two nodded as they left the park before the police could even arrive.

…

Sophie was flying above the skyscrapers, she looked back at all the destruction and commotion the creature caused, in the distance, the five colored marks in the sky were going to different parts in the city until they disappeared. Back on her mind the girl saw someone in one of the rooftops of a skyscraper, a familiar view that left before she could even answer anything. As she landed the white haired figure was sitting by a wall, with her sword on the side and the ruby colored eyes focused on the sun that was slowly setting.

¨You came here to finish the job?¨

¨Why help us? We were at war this entire time¨

¨Because I was not like Katarina or the others, It is true, I was against but the ideals we had from the beginning slowly shifted, in the end what I wanted with the team was completely different from its goals¨ Riven turned her head ¨I regret what happened to the rest of them, but even if I tried to help it was too late¨ The girl remained silent for a few seconds and turned to her sword before going back to the guardian ¨I am at your mercy, I will not defend myself, if you want to put an end to what you call Anti-Star Guardians, then I won't show any resistance¨

But Sophie shook her head, she raised her staff to the sky and a bright light engulfed Riven, closing her wounds and cleaning the blood from her skin and outfit ¨No… I am not here to finish it¨

¨But why?¨ She stood up, holding to her blade.

¨You were the one betraying your team, you gave information to Ren… you tried to help us¨ She walked towards the white haired and the two of them looked at the sunset ¨When Katarina was about to kill him… you risked your own life just to save him. Why?¨

¨He showed me that a person like me can have redemption, even if it means give its own life¨

¨You can't…¨ She turned to face the warrior ¨She needs you, and it is clear that you need him… I feel the future might be darker, and I won't be there to save everyone, not even my friends, so I beg you to keep Ren safe¨

¨I will…¨ Riven's lips curled into a smile but her eyes were now looking at the sunset ¨You know… when that monster disappeared, I felt weaker, I still have my powers but the strength I used to have is gone´

¨Jinx and I got our powers back¨ Shisa rested by Sophie's shoulder, nuzzling the cheek of the guardian ¨So what will happen to you now? Considering the ASG are now defeated¨

¨Lay low, tomorrow is the last day of classes and then vacations, I will look after Reginald and from there, see what happens. What about you six?¨

¨We don't know, we defeated that creature easily but I am afraid it won't be the last one; the Dark Star is getting stronger and if we don't do the same…¨ The guardian sighed ¨Our lights will finally burn and this world will be long gone¨ The girl tapped the floor with her staff and faced Riven one last time ¨Before I go I need to set something clear: Considering you will be taking care of Reginald, do not mention anything about our identities, the secret of the Star Guardians must be kept safe¨ Riven nodded ¨Stay safe, Riven¨

¨You too… and thank you¨ The white haired smiled as the guardian extended her wings and flew away. She stayed on the rooftop for a few more minutes before also taking flight back to her home.

* * *

 **And it is done ladies and gentlemen. Next chapter will be the epilogue to Arc 2, teasing what will be coming in Arc 3. I enjoyed writing this part and while not everything is all happy and gloomy, there is always that silver lining.**

* * *

 **So I got Battle for Azeroth and I had the game open during the entire chapter, tempted between writing and playing but in the end the story won, but now let's relax, I'll post the epilogue on the weekend and after that I'll take a break from this story. I need to plan the big events in Arc 3 and then everything will flow, of course I will work on some Heroes & Legends chapter after and then start on the next batch. Boy do I like when the story advances and in this case, some old and new characters will make appearances. But, I'll give more information on the next chapter.**

 **Until then, hope that your dreams come true and your light doesn't die (that sounds Star Guardian-ish but ok), this was Tourvelix, already going to Kul'Tiras to try the new expansion and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	43. Chapter 43

The six girls were silent, their minds focused on something else rather than the last day before vacations. It was surprising that even after yesterday's events the classes would go normally, however the damaged area was far away from the academy itself.

The sound of the clock on top of the blackboard was the only thing audible from the inside, that and the breathing from the guardians.

¨Was it the right thing?¨ Sophie asked, looking at the rest of the team, worried about their recent actions.

¨We defeated Katarina and the monster… but…¨ Lux was by the window, looking at the destroyed buildings in the distance ¨It should've been different¨

¨How different can it be?! We defeated the ASG, took down a gigantic Dark Star creature and Soph and I got our powers back. It all went perfectly!¨ Jinx was the only one that was standing, she frowned at Lux but the latter was not looking at her directly ¨Hey… anyone listening¨

¨It's not about how successful it was. Yes, we took down two threats but the amount of injured people is quite big, needless to say some people didn't make it¨ Janna was sitting in one of the desks, she wasn't angry but her face gave mixed signals about it, partly disappointed about the direction the team took in that last battle.

¨We can't go back in time, what's done is done¨

¨Many were affected, but we saved a lot more by taking those two, right?¨ Lulu tried to cheer up her Yordle friend but she was not in the mood to receive any kind of help ¨What do we do now?¨

¨We celebrate!¨ Jinx raised her fist to the skies as a victory ¨No one?¨

¨Maybe…¨ Lux slowly turned, a smile was curling on her lips ¨We could take a small vacation, now that the summer break starts tomorrow¨ The rest of the girls looked at the leader ¨Shurima has some nice beaches, we can go there for a week or two. Besides it's not too far from the city so if problem arises we can come back fast¨

¨If we keep focusing on our tasks we will burn out (in more ways than one), we need to rest from time to time¨ Janna agreed with the idea and saw that the rest of the team was also on board with this idea.

¨Yeah! Time for some beach action!¨ Jinx yelled and started to spin her bag.

¨We'll message each other, see what we need and the sooner we depart the better, is that good?¨ They all nodded, some of the guardians already started planning, but for Sophie she stood up from her chair and walked to the door ¨Leaving already?¨

¨After yesterday I need some rest, I guess we all need, especially if we are going to the beach¨ The raven haired waved at her friends and left the classroom.

On her way down Sophie looked at all of the students saying goodbye to each other, even if some would meet during vacations it was clear that the life outside of the academy was a completely different for all these people. Before she could leave the courtyard the guardian had her path blocked by a familiar face, one that has been present for months now.

¨Leaving so soon?¨ Cassiopeia crossed her arms, she didn't look friendly at all, she never did.

¨Classes are over, so are clubs, I am free to go home¨ Sophie thought the younger sibling knew about what happened to her sister, but the guardian wanted to avoid that topic.

¨You are not free¨ Cass pulled from one of the pockets in her shirt the cassette that had the recording from Katarina calling out Jinx, Lux and the newest member ¨Remember this?¨

¨What are you going to do with it?¨ But the other student remained silent and the only thing she did was to give the recording to Sophie ¨What?¨

¨You stopped my sister, brought her back to how she was¨

¨I'm sorry, we didn't want to do it¨

¨What? Do you honestly think she is dead? The paramedics found her unconscious where the monster disappeared. She opened her eyes and tried to talk but she was too weak to do so, the doctors say that by the end of the break she will be back up¨

¨Oh no…¨

¨Trust me, you will have time to prepare¨ Cassiopeia turned but before she left the girl slightly eyed the guardian ¨But if I were you, I would hide from the public eye, you have more enemies than friends¨ And with those words the student left, leaving Sophie with the cassette in her hands.

* * *

¨Do you think we'll get the medal of the Star Guardian's helper?¨

¨That thing does not even exist, besides you weren't there!¨ Ren scolded Ekko who was absent the day before ¨Anyway we did a good job yesterday, even if the city ended up a bit too… ruined¨

¨The guardians defeated the monster and the ASG, that could be considered as a win, even for us¨

¨Yeah even if we don't have any material from yesterday it is clear our club got more traction, I even saw some people interested in it¨

¨Well, they can join when classes start, as third year students we won't need anyone to vouch for us to create the club¨ The vice president answered to Taliyah ¨So… what happens now? To all of us?¨

¨Well the club will be over during the summer break, considering how the ASG are now out of the equation, sure there's the Star Guardians but I also want some rest¨ Ren stretched his arms, he was quite tired from yesterday and going from situations where he almost got killed could put quite a lot of stress in a person ¨Maybe we can go somewhere, the park- wait no, that's destroyed. The bowling!¨

¨Eh… I don't know, I never played that¨ Taliyah was insecure about it.

¨Really? Then I'll teach you!¨ Ekko smiled and the girl's cheeks flushed in red almost immediately ¨Eh… you ok? You seem more red than usual¨

¨Red?! Uh… yeah… yeah I'm fine, don't worry¨ Taliyah immediately covered her face, avoiding Ekko's sight.

The blond was about to say anything but before he could he had to grab his phone and saw that a message popped up on his screen. After reading it he sighed, as if he was forced to do something ¨Seriously?¨

¨What is it?¨

¨I received a text from Ahri, she told me that I forgot a book and she has it¨ Ezreal sighed again ¨We'll discuss everything over the chatroom ok?¨ He turned and jogged towards the staircase.

As the vice president left Ren also received a message from a number that was `dead´ for quite a long time.

 _Meet me at the usual place. We need to talk._

¨Ren?¨

¨Mh? Oh… uh… I need to go¨ The president started to walk away but he stopped and turned at both Taliyah and Ekko ¨We'll talk about going out ok?¨ The two of them nodded and waved as Ren left.

It took him quite a while to get there but eventually the bus stop was there, and so was the white haired girl, not covering herself since this time there was no one to fear. They stood there, looking at each other as if they were strangers.

¨So… how are you doing?¨

¨Good…¨ Riven nodded ¨Nothing out of the ordinary¨

¨About Katarina…¨

¨She is alive… yes, I'm surprised as well¨

¨Oh… so… what happened yesterday, your powers¨

Riven raised her hand, looking at it and then clenching her fist ¨I still have them, but I'm not stronger like before¨ They once again looked at each other, taking a step forward until they were at hand's reach ¨You had a rough day yesterday¨

¨Yeah, I almost died…¨ He looked a way for a second before looking at the crimson eyes from the warrior ¨Thanks…¨ Silence was there once again, the two students a bit nervous, knowing that they were that close during the battle and how they wanted to protect each other ¨So...-¨ The words from Ren were cut as the white haired moved forward, hugging him and allowing her lips to touch his. There was only silence, but that is what they needed for words couldn't describe what they were feeling or how to talk to the other.

From one of the bushes on the other side of the street, the other two club members were looking at this newly-formed couple.

¨Reginald and Riven? I never expected this to happen. How about you Tali?¨ But the girl didn't answer ¨Taliyah?¨ When he looked back at her she was grinning, as if she was waiting for this moment to happen.

¨YES!¨ She yelled excitedly, but even if her loud voice was heard from the other side of the street, the lovers were still focused on each other.

* * *

On the rooftop from the academy, Ezreal arrived, trying to catch his breath after running for quite a while.

¨I… need… to go to the gym…¨ He closed the door behind him and when he turned the student saw three girls, one sitting on the bench, the other one in the railing and a third one overlooking the courtyard ¨What is this?¨

¨Ez! I'm glad you arrived, I wasn't going to scream at you from up here¨ Ahri stood up and walked towards the blond ¨Please come, I want you to introduce to the rest¨

¨Uh, I have no time, I want to start my vacations as soon as possible, so if you could give me my book…¨

¨You clearly are that naïve¨ The long redhaired woman jumped from the railing ¨Are you sure you want this idiot for our thing?¨

¨He might be an idiot¨

¨Hey!¨

¨But he is one that is very experienced with all the Star Guardian stuff, after all his club is trying to beat my blog¨ Those last words were accompanied by a grim look from Ahri.

¨Uhm… not really, we had no intentions of competing with your blog¨

¨So this is the guy you talked about…¨ The third woman that was there was now standing by the side of Ahri. Her purple hair blocking part of her face but the smug on her lips made Ezreal uneasy about this situation, the purple eye went up and down, inspecting the boy up to every little detail ¨Looks cute… not enough muscles… probably a weakling too¨

¨Yeah you said that about me and I can still beat you with one hand¨

¨Is that so?¨ While the red haired looked angrily the purple one was still with her smug, waiting for the other girl to act first.

¨Syndra, Sarah, enough! We didn't came here to give Ezreal a bad impression of us, on the contrary, we want him to feel like home¨

¨Whatever… this doesn't concern me anymore. If you need me I'll be on the phone¨ Sarah left the rooftop and closed the door with a loud bang, still angry at Syndra.

¨So… uh… about the book…¨

¨Book this… book that, I can probably give you something that will give you a different impression of me¨ Ezreal thought for a second the words from Ahri and his cheeks flushed red ¨Not _that_ ¨

¨Oh thank you, Lux would kill me¨

¨Lux huh?¨ Syndra looked at the blond more carefully ¨What is she to you?¨

¨Lux? Uh… she is… my girlfriend… w-why do you ask?¨

¨Interesting¨ The mysterious woman looked at Ahri and nodded ¨He seems ready¨

¨If you say so…¨ The pink haired girl grabbed something from her pocket and put it in Ezreal's hands ¨I didn't call you here for your book, in fact I don't have it, the reason is: I have a proposition to you, one that will change the way you see the world¨

Confused by those words the blond opened his hand and saw that he had a small blue stone, some parts were fractured but it started to emit a strange glow ¨Ahri… what is this?¨

¨An opportunity…¨

 **End of arc II**

* * *

 **And here it is. The finale to arc II and the teaser for what's coming in the third one.**

 **The person who was talking to the principal this entire time wa Syndra and with Ezreal the team is now formed, or at least that is for now because the events of the next arc will certainly shatter some bonds, create conflicts between friends and know more about the past of some more Star Guardians, as well as to more events from the past, waaaaay past. You'll know it.**

* * *

 **So I'm going to talk about some things that I wanted to introduce in the arc but it didn't made to the final cut.**

 **\- Lulu's secret birthday: Throught the Poppy bonding chapters I mentioned the birthday from Lulu but in the end it all happened off-cameras (off-chapters?) I would've liked to put some more backstory and bonding chapters for the group of six**

 **\- More explanation behind the artifact: It is clear that the sphere gave the powers to Kat, Riven and the rest of her team but there wasn't enough explanations, only a plot device.**

 **\- The club's activities: Even though the next arc will feature some more moments from the Investigation Club, I wanted to add some more moments, even if those were just about analyzing clues, just for the sake of more time with them and more backstory.**

 **\- Star Guardian training: Only one chapter was devoted to training, after that it all happened off chapters.**

 **And that's it, those were some things I wanted more content of, next arc will feature some more stuff as well as more Champions from the game. And trust me some will be annoying (or cute) and others might be the key to solve the next main plot of the arc.**

 **My time here is done, weekend has arrived and so my time on WoW began, I'll probably stream some if I get the chance (Follow me on Twitch, username: Durgalicious). Until then, this was Tourvelix, hope you have a great day because out here is raining heavily and until next time:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	44. Chapter 44

**Arc III**

 **A New Horizon**

* * *

With the Summer break the entirety of the team remained in contact. Lux's family had a beach house in Shurima that was going to be used by Garen and Katarina but since the latter was still in the hospital the boyfriend decided to stay with the former villain. Eventually the blonde arranged everything and with two weeks into the break they all prepared the whole trip, they even had an old hippie van so the six of them could fit in.

The day arrived and Sophie was still preparing her suitcase with clothes. On her desk the familiar was looking at her and noticed how the guardian was not showing happiness, instead it was some sort of `neutral´ look on her eyes and face.

¨There is something troubling you, isn't it?¨

¨Mh? Oh, no… I'm fine¨ Soph continued to put some more clothes into the case, ignoring that the small creature was now at the side, looking the contents that she was putting in.

¨For two weeks you haven't talked about the battle against the ASG, the only thing you did say was that she was alive. Why is that?¨ Shisa was truly curious about the guardian, she used to talk a lot about it but now she was silent, probably she wanted some peace and quiet after a long battle and this would give her the enough time to collect her thoughts and carry on for the new year at the academy.

¨Because there is nothing to talk about. We won, sure there was some collateral damage but there was nothing else we could do¨ The raven haired closed the case and locked it, then she looked at the lion creature ¨The Dark Star also seems to be weak considering we haven't seen any new creatures¨

¨It is far from defeated, but that last monster must've tired the Dark Star or something. In any case, we must use this time to think new strategies and how we are going to approach our enemies in the future¨

¨Shisa, this are our vacations, the last thing we'll probably think about is our Star Guardian duties¨

From the other side of the door someone knocked and the voice of the guardian's mother attracted the attention of both the girl and the familiar; the rest of the team arrived.

After saying goodbye to her parents Sophie came out and saw the van on the street. A medium sized vehicle that on the bottom part had a blue sky color and a white roof. At the sides there were some stickers of stars and even some that were drawn by Lulu. The entirety of the team came out of the vehicle to greet their friend as they were placing her suitcase on the back along with the rest of the stuff.

¨Are you sure you are not forgetting anything?¨ Lux asked but the guardian shook her head ¨Then I guess we are ready to depart and-¨ They all turned immediately when they heard the van's horn and saw that Jinx was the one behind the driver wheel ¨Oh no, you are not going to drive¨

¨Come on, I drove all the way here. I can get us safely to the beach¨ But Lux opened the door and the rebel sighed, going to the seat on the right and allowing the blonde to get behind the wheel.

¨Since when Jinx has a driver's license?¨ Sophie asked as the other four girls climbed on the different seats on the back.

¨It's only a week old, she is still a beginner whilst Lux has it almost for a year¨ Poppy added and grabbed from her bag a couple of cookies which she gave to the rest of the team on the back.

During the whole trip the Star Guardians talked and they really enjoyed it; some of the familiars rested while others were on the roof of the van, trying not to get blown by the wind. Curious enough, none of the girls mentioned the battle against Katarina and that made Shisa quite curious; on the other hand Shiro and Kuro did not seem worried about it either, especially since Jinx forgot about it.

After a four hour trip the entire team arrived at the beach house. It wasn't as grandiose as the `mansion´ in the city but it served its purpose as a summer home; with only one floor but a nice backyard the exterior looked like most of the buildings in the neighborhood and it helped that it didn't show how Lux's family was actually rich.

The team stretched their legs and started to grab everything from the van and then went inside. After looking at the exterior they all expected something similar on the interior but they were mistaken; the entire place was more elegant, even more than her actual house and the fact that it was all silent and `perfect´ for the other girls.

¨I'm sorry, my parents came here a month before summer break, it might be a bit dusty¨ Lux's apology did nothing but to infuriate some of the girls.

¨Are you serious?! This place looks cleaner than my home!¨ Poppy said angrily.

¨I must say Lux, your parents do have _some_ money…¨ Janna commented, giving a few steps forward and looking at the entirety of the living room.

¨It's just… they bought the plot and built on it, that was even before me and my brother were born¨ The leader placed her bags on the sofa and sat there; after driving for so long she felt tired already ¨At least we got here¨

¨Yay!¨ Lulu immediately jumped in the chair and from her backpack she pulled a lot of crayons and papers and started to draw something.

¨So… what do we do now?¨

¨We have fun!¨ Jinx answered Sophie's question and both black and white familiars came out from Jinx's bag.

¨Not yet¨ Lux turned and saw the rest of the team ¨There's probably not enough food here, we need to go to the market and get some. After that we'll decide on the beds¨

¨How about we decide them now, before we leave I mean?¨ Poppy brought her luggage closer to the middle of the room and looked back at the blonde.

¨Alright, so we have three bedrooms. One for Garen, one for me and the other two for my parents. We also have some inflatable mattresses that we can use as beds¨

¨I'll go with Lulu, if she can't climb her bed I'll help her¨

¨Alright... I will go to my room then. Janna?¨

¨I don't mind sleeping in the same room as you¨ The other blonde smiled but then the majority of the team looked at Sophie who made a strange noise, as if she realized what was her situation.

¨Wait… if Poppy and Lulu sleep on Garen's room, Janna with Lux on her room… then that means…¨

…

¨I hate this¨ Sophie whispered only for her voice to be covered by the loud snorting of the rebel to her side.

The rest of the day was pretty much normal; the team was divided in two. One part went to the market and bought food while the other stayed at home and dedicated to cleaning and exploration. As night arrived and the girls split up in the different rooms, Sophie and Jinx made a pact (actually the former did) and made a wall of pillows so they could both have privacy; unfortunately, this wall fell few minutes after the two of them drifted to sleep as the cyan haired moved like a wild animal in her sleep along with the annoying snorting.

Soph grabbed her phone and saw that the time was near 2 in the morning ¨Ok, enough of this, I'll go sleep on the rug¨ But the moment the guardian tried to jump of the bed she felt a pair of arms holding her from the belly and then the rest of Jinx's body pulled the dark haired towards her, as if she was hugging a pillow.

¨Warm… soft¨ The words of the rebel as a smile formed on her face did nothing but to make the `makeshift pillow´ to roll her eyes.

With a defeated sigh, Sophie did nothing but to close her eyes and hope to fall asleep, it was kind of hard, especially after she felt Jinx's breathing on the back of her neck ¨If I get out of this, I will kill Lux¨

* * *

 **We start off Arc 3 with some comedy! It is clear that this new part of the story will eventually introduce Ahri's team and I will be using Riot's lore on that part, with a few tweaks here and there so it fits the story that is.**

* * *

 **ComradeBill:** _Nice, here comes the 2nd Star Guardian team, aka New Horizon team._

 _So excited._

 _P.S , I am that guest from earlier review... too lazy to use main account lol._

 **And be excited because they will appear soon (I mean, during the camp but I still have a few chapters before both parties get there)**

* * *

 **I am excited as well, going to write the adventures of Ahri's team and how will the OG guardians work with this, of course there will be some more mystery in between and more backstory.**

 **Maybe Riot will release some Star Guardian skin soon? I mean they did tease the new Champion a long time ago so we know it's coming soon, in any case it's the waiting game.**

 **But for now I'm out, hope you have a good weekend and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	45. Chapter 45

¨Why do I have to do it?¨

¨You've been avoiding them for over two weeks, the more you delay it, the worse it will be¨

¨It's just… dropping two big secrets from the get-go would be… well I know for a fact some people would be more than surprised… That reminds me, how is Katarina?¨

¨Getting better; two weeks in the hospital and she is awake. I've visited her yesterday and seems eager to get out of that bed¨

¨Does she remember anything? The Star Guardians? Me?¨

¨She hasn't mentioned the guardians at all, not even your name so either the battle made her forget anything about what happened¨

¨Let's hope that's the case…¨

¨Are you ready?¨

¨No but… what other choice do I have?¨

The recently-formed couple looked at the diner from the other side of the street, the shadow of the apartment building kept them cool for the time being but the sun was still heating up everything and it would eventually take a toll on both Reginald and Riven if they didn't move out of there.

After the red light appeared the two of them walked to the diner and entered. Inside they found that on the far-end table there were some people sitting already, those being Taliyah, Ekko and Ezreal. The couple had their side free so the other three members could be on front, and in turn to `interrogate´ Riven in case they needed to.

¨So… we are here…¨ Ren expected the girl to feel awkward due to this situation but the only one feeling that way was just him ¨You know this is not a club meeting or any of the likes, but… uh… I called everyone here because of something important¨

¨You convinced Riven to be part of the club? I mean… more people is always good but… she doesn't seem like the kind of person who would be interested in the Star Guardians. No offense¨ The blond turned on this last part to the white haired girl, raising his hand.

¨I am interested in the guardians, though the reason he called you here is not only for that¨ Riven looked at the nervous boy who was constantly tapping the floor with his shoes ¨Do you want to tell them or shall I do it?¨

¨I will¨ Ren cleared his throat and placed his hands on the table, trying not to show that he was nervous but his face was telling something completely different and the other three club members were able to see it clearly ¨So… Riven and I were talking for a while, she helped me in the past and I helped her, we had a lot of fun as well as some problems¨

¨What's the point of all this?¨ Ekko asked, wondering why they were called in the first place and so far no one has received an answer yet.

¨The point is: I am Reginald's girlfriend which in turn that means that he is my boyfriend¨

There was silence, the rest of the club members looked at each other, but the first one that seemed to react was Taliyah since a smile was forming on her face, then immediately Ezreal sighed ¨Damnit…¨ He whispered and from his pockets he pulled a bill and gave it to the girl.

¨Wait, what?¨ Ren was confused and Riven did nothing but to remain silent, especially since she tried to hide her confusion.

¨Ekko and I followed you on the last day of classes, you ended up walking way too far away from the academy or even your home, we spied you and saw the kiss with Riven¨

¨We told Ezreal about this but he didn't believe it, so I did the right thing¨

¨You made a bet on our relationship?!¨

¨I mean, we all won; you and Riven are together, Ezreal finally got his answer and I have more money!¨ Taliyah said happily, waving the bill as a sign of victory for her.

¨Wow you guys are truly the best friends… no, seriously, you should get an award for it¨ Ren said sarcastically making the other three laugh, even Riven smiled at that commentary, even though the next part would be more serious and a topic that they needed discretion ¨But now let's get serious, there is an even bigger reason why I told you to come here¨ The eyes from the president went to all of the different club members ¨I need you to promise me something, that no matter what we say right here, you cannot tell it to anyone else, understood?¨

¨Ren… why… why are you being so mysterious?¨ Ezreal raise a brow, he was not liking how this was going, even though they've all seen a lot of things in the past month, few of them being normal.

¨Because we need to trust you, and if you go out there and tell everyone what we are going to say… then not only I know you are people who don't value what a secret means but also I could be in danger¨

¨D-danger?!¨ Ekko laid back, surprised if not confused mostly because of Riven's words; he then leaned forward again ¨Ok, now I'm intrigued¨

¨First: Can we trust you?¨ The three of them nodded as all of them got closer for this almost-whispered talk ¨Well… I don't think you forgot about what happened back on the park two weeks ago, well… everyone except Ekko was there¨

¨Wait… Riven was there? Where were you?¨

¨I was not a spectator, I was in fact… someone closer, remember the white haired warrior? Well…¨

¨No… no way, that was you?!¨ Ezreal widened his eyes, finally realizing the truth after she was in front of him back on the park.

¨Wait wait wait, you're telling me you fought that day…¨ Ekko started, trying to rebuild everything since he was not there when the battle happened ¨So that makes you… a member of the ASG¨

¨Correct, though I am not proud of some of the things I did¨

¨Yet you saved Ren, and helped the guardians. If anything you redeemed yourself!¨ Taliyah said happily, even though she knew thanks to Sophie ¨So… you used to fight, fly… and do more things, does that mean you lost all your powers?¨

¨Not exactly, I'm weaker but I still can do all those, to a certain degree¨

¨Can you show us?¨ The same girl asked, but the white haired shook her hair ¨Huh?¨

¨Let's go from the very basics: Not here. Second: I will only transform when the situation is needed, not for shows or any of the like¨

¨So how did it felt? Fighting, having all that power, you know… being toe to toe with the Star Guardians?¨

¨I liked it at first, back when our objective was to do what the Guardians could not, then it was all about becoming stronger and decimate anyone who was against us… I never shared the same views Katarina had in the end… we turned into villains, even worse than those monsters¨

¨You must understand, she was the person who was giving me information about the ASG, I could never tell you the identity, for her sake¨

¨Everything was going well but we found out there was a traitor, someone was trying to break the team from the inside, or the outside¨

¨And in the end Katarina discovered it was you?¨ The white-haired boy asked this time, playing with his fingers as he listened.

¨During the battle, she was paranoid of everything. In the end I also found out I wasn't the only one trying to dismantle the team, but Cassiopeia as well. Eventually our leader wanted to have information about possible suspects, so she sent someone to spy on people, mainly Ren¨

¨Wait… I was being spied and you never told me about it?!¨

¨Right, so let me give you information about my team after I told you to stay away; clearly that would put a target on both of us. I could've protected myself but if they tried to hurt you…¨ Riven sighed and felt how the president was now holding her hand.

¨Yeah… you are right, it would've been risky… thanks and-¨ Ren got interrupted when he saw standing up, his eyes focused on the screen of the cellphone ¨Something wrong?¨

¨Not really, but I have to be somewhere else now. Unrelated to this¨

¨Man… are you into something bad?¨ Ekko was also a close friend with Ezreal but just like the rest he had no idea of where the blond was going.

¨Trust me, it's nothing bad¨

¨Ok then, just be safe¨ The four remaining people at the table waved at the now leaving club member who left the diner while the others kept talking.

Once outside the boy pressed a few buttons on the screen and started a call.

¨ _We need you by the forest, western part of the city, how far can you get there?¨_ The voice of Sarah Fortune was more demanding than ever, especially since last week when their operations started.

¨Uh…¨ Ezreal looked at the streets ¨I'll be there in five minutes. Need to find a good place to change¨ And the blond ran towards an alleyway, away from any kind of eyes.

* * *

 **I know that at the start of the new arc things might be slow, but I promise that once the summer camp starts, that's when then arc will `begin´**

 **For now it's the classic of `wait and see´ moments, let the relationship of Riven and Ren to flourish as they will eventually face with the problems of a new year at the academy, along with some others like the new team.**

* * *

 **Ok ok ok ok ok ok ok ok**

 **OK**

 **So during the weekend we had this teaser with Jinx and today, oh boy today. We got such an amazing trailer, with beautiful music and... a weird Sona skin? Aside from that I like that we will receive some PvE content again, though I fear this might replace the Star Guardians this year. We still have the new PBE cycle tomorrow so fingers crossed; then again it's also the Worlds patch so I expect lots of balancing and not so much skins (I hope they do. thought not my wallet)**

 **And this was today's chapter people, hope you enjoyed it. If you want to discuss the story or just talk, feel free to join the Discord server! / GDfspK there are plenty of people there, including writers from a lot of stories here from the League fandom.**

 **This was Tourvelix, hope you have a good week, don't forget that the new gamemode will probably be bugged so don't stress much on that. Until then, I bid farewell with a nice message:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	46. Chapter 46

Lux walked to the kitchen and saw Janna, Lulu and Poppy. The two Yordles already having breakfast while the oldest one was preparing some waffles, however there was a single problem as the last two members were missing.

¨Where's Soph and Jinx?¨ The leader asked but neither Lulu and Janna knew how to answer.

¨They are still in the bedroom, their door is closed¨ Poppy answered and ate her syrup-covered waffle.

¨I'll go wake them up¨ With swift moves the blonde went directly to the room of her parents, there was only silence from the other side. With a few knocks but no response the girl entered into the room just to see Sophie with her eyes open, an angry expression and behind her a still asleep (and snorting) who was hugging the guardian very close as she used her back as a pillow ¨Uh… Soph, are you ok?¨

¨Do you think this is remotely ok?¨ The raven haired had all of her hair over the revel who was still glued to her back, when she tried to move the other guardian held her tighter ¨Help me¨ Lux got closer to the bed and tried to push Jinx while Sophie tried to crawl out. Eventually their effort was successful as the latter fell to the ground while the cyan haired was spread out all over the bed; after receiving some help the guardian got back up and looked at the other girl, not even phased by her being pushed ¨How can she still be sleeping after what we did?¨

¨The only explanation I can give is: It's Jinx¨

¨Yeah I guess that after a year with her as a teammate I shouldn't be remotely surprised¨ The two of them walked out and Sophie greeted the other members that were having breakfast, as she sat the guardian grabbed a couple of waffles and put it on her plate ¨So… what are our plans for today?¨

¨What else? We have the perfect sun outside, it's hot and the beach just a block from here!¨ Lux said happily, the fact that she planned this vacation and it was going well so far did nothing but to put the blonde in an ecstatic mood. The next thing everyone did as they were having lunch was to check their phones.

¨It appears the city is calm, no sign of attacks…¨ Poppy mentioned, going through the different news sites

¨The Dark Star seems pretty calm lately, maybe it's gathering its strength¨ Janna pointed out, eating a bit more of her breakfast.

Sophie noticed this, especially since she was also checking her phone and felt like this was all wrong, they were on that place for vacations and what they were doing at that moment was checking for Star Guardian stuff ¨This is not right… look at us¨ The girls looked at Soph and then at their cellphones ¨This is our first day here and we are not even relaxing, we are tense and waiting for the Dark Star to attack so we can move¨

¨Are you implying we like to fight against those creatures?¨ The Yordle warrior frowned, not understanding her friend's point.

¨We do, but at the same time because of that we can't relax, our minds are still focused on…¨ It was hard to say it at first but eventually the girl mustered some strength to let it out ¨On what happened at the park¨ They remained silent, Sophie was right and no one dared to say otherwise ¨We saw three girls die, even if they were our enemies they were still schoolmates, human beings who… no longer exist¨

¨It is true that we have faced many creatures in the past, but that's what they were, some weird things rather than actual people…¨ The leader mentioned this, laying back on her chair and crossing her arms ¨I have to tell something, the only time I saw the First Star she told me something, we are all destined to burn bright… but we will collapse as furiously as we shine…¨ Janna seemed to react to that, she remembered those words from a long time ago, and even then she still hears them among others voices ¨I couldn't understand, I was alone and clueless but now I feel like I finally got it¨

¨We are not going to burn… literally… right?¨ Poppy's innocent mind was still lost on the words from the First Star.

¨We shined… our best moments, our victories… but then we collapsed the same way… in the park, it was a victory but… the losses were more than what we expected¨

¨You know nothing about losses…¨ Janna whispered but Sophie noticed it.

¨Janna, did you said something?¨

And before the older guardian could say anything the appearance of the rebel did nothing but to distract everyone and look in her direction ¨How are you doing my fellow guardians!¨

¨Great, I enjoyed the days without her presence¨ Poppy said annoyingly, knowing that having Jinx in the same home would bring trouble.

¨Come on Pops¨ Jinx leaned, placing her arm on top of the Yordle's head ¨You say you hate me being nearby but you can't deny we make a good team. Oh, those are waffles?¨ She grabbed the fork and then took a slim part of Sophie's breakfast ¨Mh… it needs more syrup¨ The next thing was grabbing the bottle and spraying more and more, eventually the dough was covered in the thick liquid.

¨You sure you want more waffles with your syrup?¨ Sophie was clearly questioning what Jinx was doing, especially since it was _her_ meal ¨Do you know how much that syrup bottle costed?¨

¨Don't worry, it was a bottle we had here before we arrived, it's on the house¨

¨Lux, do you have any idea how long has it been here? Now that I look at it… the color seems a bit off…¨ Janna pointed the problem and the rest of the guardians started to notice that peculiar color as well.

¨Give me that¨ The latest member grabbed the open bottle and turned it to see the expiration date ¨Let me see…¨ She squinted her eyes until the numbers were visible ¨Ok so it expires in… uhm… oh… **oh** ¨

¨That last oh seems worrying¨ Jinx said and started eating the syrup-covered waffle as if it was hers.

¨Uhm… this syrup expired three years ago¨

¨Oh…¨ The rest of the guardians said and their stomachs growled.

¨DIBS ON THE BATHROOM!¨ Jinx yelled atop of her lungs and dropped the fork with the last remaining of that breakfast of hers and ran towards the door with a lot of angry Star Guardians behind her, trying to get into the bathroom before any disaster happened.

…

They were all sitting on the couch, defeated, without strength and with an empty stomach again.

¨Lux… no offense, but the Dark Star is probably less deadly than that Syrup¨ Sophie's voice, weak and in need of help came out.

¨You know what?¨ Lux stood up, still dizzy after being the last one that left the bathroom ¨We can't stay in here, there's sun out there and the beach is ready for us, so what do you say?¨

¨Yeah…¨ The rest of the team agreed, even if they didn't seem to enthusiastic. Everyone but Sophie went to their respective bedrooms, the guardian headed to the kitchen to get some water and noticed that in the table were some papers with drawings from Lulu.

She made a few ones already and the Yordle started a new one but couldn't finish it. The first picture depicted the team, all fighting against a big monster that resembled the one at the academy when Soph first joined the fight. The second drawing was a bit different as it was Jinx and the latest member with their costumes switched, remembering the moments when she had to learn to use the rebel's powers.

The third drawing was a bit different, it depicted the Star Guardians although they didn't look like them; they were all using different costumes and had weird powers.

The fourth one that was not finished showed something a bit grimmer; on the right was this new team and on the left was an empty space, in the middle however was Sophie with a sad face and with an arrow that went to each side. What was the meaning of that? Were there more guardians?

¨You going to the beach or what?¨ Jinx's voice made Sophie turn, the rebel was already wearing a tank top and a pair of shorts along with some flip flops ¨The room is empty¨

¨Uhm… thanks¨ Sophie nodded and went to get her swimsuit, but her mind was still thinking on those drawings, could it be a glimpse of what's going to happen or just some ideas Lulu had?

* * *

 **End of the week and a new chapter, it is sad for the guardians to remember their last battle but they cannot lose confidence; especially with what Sophie saw. What could it be? But that will come soon.**

* * *

 **Ah Odyssey, I like the gamemode, sure it's Invasion with more than just simple tweaks (The maps are pretty much the same, except for a big change of textures on it) and the augments, those are quite interesting and I love how you can play as if you were a Doom Bot.**

 **Still trying to work my way up to the last difficulty but at least I'm happy I can release this new chapter. Hope you enjoy it, don't forget to follow, fav, review, I get even more happy when I see those notifications in my email. This was Tourvelix, don't forget to accept your quests for the new event and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	47. Chapter 47

The news were slow, no sign of the Star Guardians or any kind of monsters. Summer was quite slow and Ren was already feeling it, three weeks have passed ever since classes ended and his days consisted of staying home, checking for new information on the teams but there was nothing. His day would've been stale if not for Riven who wanted him to get out of his routine, most specifically to spend more time with her.

This day the white haired asked him for a favor, no more information except that they would meet at the gates of the academy. So he went and hoped to find Riven there and immediately go to where she wanted because the sun was hotter than any other day on the past weeks. As he arrived, the streets around the academy were pretty much silent and very few people were walking there, however his eyes caught something in particular, there was a girl behind a stand giving away papers and with a notepad on the table.

Ren got closer and saw that it was a blonde girl with blue crystal eyes, behind her on the outer walls of the huge institution were many posters pointed at the Star Guardians, a call to action about how they should surrender and turn themselves to the police. An odd sight, probably some people were still against the saviors of the city.

The girl noticed that the president was looking at the posters and she got closer with a paper and the clipboard, giving the former to the boy ¨Can you please help me? I'm looking for people to sign this petition to ban all of Star Guardian activities in the city¨

¨Wait what?!¨ Ren took the board and saw what it was claiming. The entirety narrated the events of what happened thus far, with the guardians destroying the city and even causing major damages to the park ¨But… the battle at the park… I was there, the Star Guardians defeated that big monster¨

¨At what cost? They used to be good and now they turned to their worse side; one good thing they did could not the balance for their evil doings¨ The girl frowned, knowing that Ren was not certain that he would sign the petition ¨What have those people done to you that you support them?¨

¨Well they saved me; me and my friends. We were there when they fought against that big monster (And Katarina). They are not evil… there were some other people impersonating them¨

¨Other people?¨ The story Reginald was telling, while true, the blonde found it hard to believe ¨Then there's more than one culprit behind my sister's death?¨ The president widened his eyes, he understood. This girl was motivated by the loss of her family member and thus all of her hatred was put against the people who sworn to defend the city ¨So who am I to blame? These _other people_ who are the actual culprits for Morgana's death? Or should I point at the Star Guardians who failed to protect my neighborhood and my family?¨

¨I… uh… I didn't knew...¨ He was speechless, out of all the reasons this one put the student on the defensive, almost vulnerable.

¨So you're going to sign the petition or not?¨

¨I…¨

¨Ren!¨ The savior's voice brought relief to him.

¨I'm sorry¨ He gave back the clipboard ¨I support the Star Guardians...¨ He turned around and walked to the other side of the street where Riven was waiting for him.

After hugging and some kisses the couple went immediately, even though the president had no idea where the white haired wanted to go.

¨You know who that girl was, right?¨ But Ren's silence confirmed that he was clueless ¨That was Morgana's sister¨ The lack of answer left Riven a bit disappointed ¨You know… one of the members of the team I was part of?¨

¨Oh… that makes sense, I had no idea your teammate had a sister, I feel even more sorry, considering what it actually happened¨

¨Unfortunately we can't tell her the truth, and even then she wouldn't be satisfied with it. Her and countless people want to stop the Star Guardians, they can try but they will fail… but still¨

¨It's horrible! The Star Guardians did nothing wrong, that creature was out of control, it was the ASG that did all that chaos in the city in the first place… no offense¨ As they kept walking they remained silent, trying to forget what happened earlier ¨You know, on the phone you texted me that you wanted me to meet back at the academy, but you haven't told me the reason or anything¨

¨I wanted you to come with me to the hospital, going there alone is… unnerving¨

¨The hospital? Why do you- oh… wait…¨ He looked at Riven's belly then back at her eyes ¨Please tell me it's not what I think it is¨

¨What?! No! Why would I even be…. I mean, we would have to… and you know… why are boys so stupid?¨ The white haired sighed and shook her head ¨I need you to come with me so we can see Katarina¨

¨Are you serious? What if she remembers everything and tries to kill me?¨

¨I must remind you that she found out I was the traitor, I visited her twice already and I am still here¨

¨Right… let's hope that's the case…¨

The couple went straight for the hospital, after going to the front desk they were sent to the second floor where they were supposed to wait. Right there they saw a person coming out of Katarina's room, a tall man with dark brownish hair, her boyfriend.

¨Came for a visit?¨ The basketball player asked and then turned to see Ren ¨And who are you?¨

¨He's my boyfriend¨ Riven smiled at the older sibling as she grabbed Ren by the arm ¨Is Katarina awake?¨

¨Yeah, and getting better it seems. The doctors said this morning that if everything goes well she can go back home the next week!¨ Garen said happily, knowing that his girlfriend would be out of that horrible place ¨I'll go get something to drink, tell me when you're leaving so I return here¨ And with that the player left and the two students went inside.

In there the red haired woman was looking at a magazine and didn't even noticed the two newcomers. The sound of the TV was the only voice in the room as none of them talked to each other.

¨I thought you said you were going for a-¨ The girl in the bed lowered the magazine and saw the students in front of the bed ¨Oh, it's you Riven, and you… you seem familiar¨ It was clear that the former ASG leader forgot who Ren was, even if they met before she became the same insane person that wanted to get more power.

¨I'm-¨

¨He's Reginald, my boyfriend¨

¨Boyfriend?¨ Kat chuckled ¨I thought you were miss-I-don't-need-a-boyfriend!¨

¨Wait, really?¨ Ren quickly turned, he always saw the white haired as a woman who clearly could do well for herself, he also thought Riv had a boyfriend but to his surprise he was the first one.

¨That was last year, in regard to some… other topics that are not relevant here. Anyway how are you feeling?¨ As Riven engaged on a conversation with her friend, Ren decided to look around the room she had. It was big enough to hold two beds but the entire space was all for her; at the side there was two piece sofa and a single armchair, on the opposite side was the entrance to the room and the bathroom which was equally spacious. One thing that the president noticed was a plant on the corner of the room which was pretty much dead already.

¨Uhm…¨ Ren interrupted the conversation the two girls were having ¨Shouldn't we call the nurse to replace that plant?¨

¨No need¨ Katarina raised her right hand and as if it were magic the dead leaves were starting to revive, getting a more green color once again as well as making more flowers appear by the pot. Not only Ren but Riven were completely scared since one of her powers showed up again ¨You would think I'll forget how to use that gift... but you are mistaken¨

¨Kat… you… you… remember?¨ Riven didn't wanted to hurt her friend but she was willing to transform and protect her boyfriend in case Katarina decided to attack.

¨I never forgot¨ Her emerald eyes turned to the scared boy who was giving a few steps back ¨I must say you are quite brave to come here, knowing what you did… even you Riven¨

¨If you have all your powers you could've killed me in the spot when I first came to visit you, but you are not doing anything… why?¨

¨Because I had time to think… back when I was unconscious I was able to see everything again, how it all started and how it ended… the person I was when I told you about my father's secret was not the same one you saw in the park during that battle, the spoiled brat who would ignore everything as long as she became the most powerful being on the city, or even the universe¨ Katarina sighed ¨My mind was clouded, telling me to become stronger and ditch any kind of tie that I had with this world… call it ascendancy or anything, but that wasn't me…¨

¨Is that… a sorry from you?¨ Ren decided to get closer, but still maintaining a proper distance ¨Just… you are still powerful, right?¨

¨Yes, it is an apologize, even if I attempted to kill you or your friends… and the other answer is no, even though I have all of my powers the feeling I have´ She looked at her hand ¨I feel weak¨

¨I mean you used your magic on that plant _without transforming_ , clearly you are more than capable¨

¨I need to know something: What happened to the other three girls, the members of the team that were… uhm… you know…¨ It was hard to describe what she did, probably kill was not the best one and saying consume would not be correct, at least for him.

Katarina looked at the window, it led to the hospital's inner garden which she often observed from above ¨It is hard to describe, they do no longer exist but I can still hear their voices; as if they were inside of my head screaming for help… it is a nightmare¨

¨So it would be… four people inside of one? That's confusing¨

¨It's only me, my actions are my own and so are the thoughts, but often their voices distract me…¨

The door to the room opened and a doctor came in ¨Alright Miss DuCouteau, time for your checkup¨ The old man turned to both Ren and Riven with a smile ¨I hope you don't mind but I'll be happy if you could wait outside, it won't take long¨ The students nodded and walked out but instead of staying they went to find Garen and saying they were leaving.

Eventually they left the hospital and stood outside, looking at how the sun was slowly setting behind the buildings.

¨That was a surprise¨

¨I'm even more surprised Katarina didn't wanted to kill me¨ Ren sighed ¨Maybe I could ask her about the Star Guardians, their identities and maybe other things¨

¨Don't be so hopeful Ren, if your club is all about investigating the guardians then you must earn it, not doing it the easy way¨

¨Come on, you dragged me here, almost with a chance of getting killed and I don't get even to ask anything about the Star Guardians to their number one enemy?¨ But Riven didn't respond, she just leaned closer to him and dropped a kiss on his lips.

¨Probably not the reward that you expected, but one that you will always get¨ She winked and looked at her phone ¨I must go now, call me when you get home¨

Almost with an annoyed look in his eyes and face Ren nodded ¨Yes mom¨

And the two lovers parted ways with a smile, even though the president was a bit concerned about Katarina.

* * *

 **Is this the forgiveness arc for Katarina? Probably, but right now there are more important things for Ren and even the Star Guardians to worry. Even if _their_ hasn't been noticed yet by the public eye.**

* * *

 **Weeks are going fast and Red Dead Redemption is almost around the corner, next thing I know it will be October and in the next blink, boom. Worlds. Who do you think will win this year? NA? EU? China? Korea? Considering it's Worlds anything can happen.**

 **But enough talking, chapter up and hope you enjoy it. I bid farewal with a tip for Odyssey that Comet-Arsenal Jinx along with hybrid pen can carry on Onslaught (and burn your FPSs while you're at it).**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	48. Chapter 48

The entirety of the team arrived to the beach, there was a lot of people already but the girls managed to find an empty spot for them to set up the `camp´. They brought a couple of chairs, an umbrella and a bag full of food and drinks.

As soon as they placed everything down Jinx was the first one to remove her top and shorts and revealing the bikini, then she ran towards the coast; Lulu on the other hand brought her shovel and went to the wet sand area whilst Poppy was following behind, the other three members just stayed by the umbrella.

¨We needed this…¨ Lux said, stretching her arms and seeing how the other ones were having fun.

¨Well someone has to do it¨ Sophie added, looking at the mentor who was mostly distracted.

¨I'm gonna join the rest, I want to dip my feet in the water¨ The blonde smiled and walked away from the camp.

The two remaining guardians were silent, Soph still had the memories from the morning lingering on her mind, however there was a bit she remembered. Janna used a phrase that was only audible for this one member, she was curious and at the same time it would give her an excuse to spend some time with an original Star Guardian.

¨Janna…¨ The blonde turned her head after hearing her name ¨During breakfast you mentioned something, about how we don't know about losses… what did you mean by that?¨

¨Oh, it's nothing, just a story that would bore you¨

¨Not really, I am curious about you, about your times as a Star Guardian, like… the old type of guardian and what you mean by those losses¨

¨It's not something important to be honest, just drop it¨

¨Janna…¨

¨Why do you even want to know?¨ But the look in Sophie's eyes just made Janna sigh ¨You really want to know?¨ And the response was a nod ¨Fine… but I guess I need to give you a bit of context first¨

…

 _Unlike the new guardians like Lux, Jinx or even you, I come from a different type of Star Guardian; we were born from the stars and turned into the weapons of the First Star against the monsters that could destroy the light. During our development we were shaped into the different species that inhabited throughout the universe, I myself are very close to a human being with the detail of my ears._

 _I am not the first of my type but I was certainly the member of the last team that was alive, before the First Star decided to take a different approach._

 _I cared for my team, cherished all of our moments. We were five and just like you I took a more `supporting´ role. Larisha was our leader, charismatic and sometimes with an ego bigger than the universe itself. Morintha was brave, a cunning warrior whose feats impressed the First Star itself. Syndra was methodical, she analyzed our enemies and even then picked up fights against stronger enemies so we can get better. Taelia was the latest member, a warm and innocent soul whose curiosity led her to become a proficient guardian._

 _We were quite close, some were friends, others… something else. My relationship with Larisha was… interesting, I admired how she was able to lead us to victory, she never doubted her actions and the mistakes she made were pretty much nonexistent; out of all the members I was very fond of her. I liked Taelia, her innocence made me see the life on the different worlds under a completely new light; all I saw was war, death and destruction, but her eyes managed to see hope in the lives of others, salvation was always possible and that was the main reason she fought, not only to preserve the balance of light and darkness but to also see those people grow and become the next generation that would bring peace to their race._

 _Out of all the members Syndra was the one that made me feel uneasy whenever we were close; she was intelligent and was often referred to as the second leader considering that whenever Larisha wasn't able to create a plan, Syndra had something, and it always worked. She wasn't scary but her talks often led to wonder why would the First Star create someone like her._

 _Back to Larisha and Taelia, we did something in the past, we intertwined our lights. It is a complex process but you could draw a line similar to procreation. We created a star by sharing part of our energy, creating a unique and new entity that would eventually become a Star Guardian, just like the people that created it, unfortunately we never knew what happened to them as we sent those stars far away, so this war wouldn't affect them._

 _Countless battles eventually led to our final conflict: The Dark Star._

 _A creature of hatred and darkness, the antithesis of the First Star and the enemy of the Star Guardians. We were ready for such battle but there was no kind of training that could've prepared us when we had to face a different type of enemy: A traitor._

 _And there she was, giving herself in to the temptations of the Dark Star, she received more power than what her creator originally offered; no wonder she was intelligent, she knew which side to pick. Syndra said she found the truth, there was no salvation and no matter what the Star Guardians did, our enemy would always succeed. She changed sides and paid the price for it, Larisha took one of Syndra's eyes and in revenge she turned her back on all of us. The Dark Star claimed my sisters but I survived, imagine my horror as I saw them getting… getting… lost._

 _I was the only one that survived, I was rescued by the First Star and sent on a long sleep. After years of waiting I woke up with a new task, to help the new leader of the Star Guardians to defeat the Dark Star; I know Lux still has a lot to learn but so far she has shown a lot of progress, including the rest of the team… you are also in there Sophie, from your first battle to the latest one you showed how training made you better. But this does not mean you are all prepared to face the Dark Star… we still need more time before we can take the fight to that thing._

…

Sophie remained silent throughout the whole story, she had many questions but the face of Janna showed that she was sad, those memories could easily break her heart and digging deeper into it would just affect negatively her fellow teammate even more.

¨Sorry…¨ It was all that she could say, even if the blonde one praised her in the end, the part before that one was terrifying. Having a traitor is probably the worst feeling in the universe, a friend you once trusted turns its back on you.

¨It's alright, eventually when I came here I adopted this form, when you see me transformed is how I actually look, how I was born and trained¨

¨Do the others know?¨

¨I told them part of my past, how I was part of the last team of the old Star Guardians and how I fought the Dark Star but failed…¨

¨Don't worry Janna… we all trust each other, I know we won't betray anyone and we will defeat the Dark Star¨

¨Thanks Sophie¨ Janna smiled ¨This is not an easy topic for me to talk about… but I'm glad that you understood. Why don't you go to the water? I'll stay here for some more time¨ Without saying anything else the newest member returned the smile and took of her clothes to reveal a turquoise colored bikini, after that she ran to the coast and jumped into the water. Janna was observing the team and then she looked up to the bright blue sky ¨Larisha… Taelia… I still want to know where our stars went¨

* * *

 **A narration that told a bit more about Janna's past, probably not hte last one either as Syndra will have a bigger role in the future and of course it will bring memories to our oldest member.**

* * *

 **I am writing this chapter when it's almost 1 in the morning and I'm pretty much going to bed so this A/N won't be that long.**

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter, this was Tourvelix telling you that Odyssey made my stress levels go to 200% and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	49. Chapter 49

¨I need to do this… I can't make mistakes or everything will be lost… everyone depends on me, if I fail… no, I can't, there is no turning back¨

¨Ren… no¨ Riven whispered, looking at Ren's arm as it made the swing, throwing the projectile away.

And it rolled, the eyes of many were directed towards this ball that was slowly going to the right of the lane until eventually it went into the gutter. The reactions were mixed as the couple sighed while the others just celebrated after that horrible shot.

¨So with this _magnificent_ ball from the president, we have... a very good score for Taliyah and Me, Ezreal in second place and the newly formed couple on third place¨ Ekko mentioned, almost like a taunt as he wrote on the paper the zero from Ren's turn.

The day was not that good outside, going for a walk was a no go because even if it was cloudy and with a high chance of rain the group didn't wanted to lose the day so they all opted for an indoor activity, in this case bowling. Ren tried to invite the whole club but only the usual members attended, as well as Riven.

¨Don't worry, we won't end last¨

¨Let your girlfriend carry you, maybe that way there's a chance you don't end with that horrible score¨ Ezreal chuckled, standing up and preparing to grab a ball.

¨Speaking of girlfriend, where is Lux? I know you said she wasn't available last time but now? Something must've happened¨ Ekko wondered since there were many topics that weren't talked on their online chat group, plus that was not the best question to ask.

¨She is with the rest of the Literature Club on the beach, they said they'll stay there until summer ends, maybe earlier¨ The blonde grabbed the ball and aimed at the center of the lane ¨Though I miss her and hearing her voice is not the same as having her close to me¨ Having said that, the vice president rolled the sphere onto the lane and it managed to take down a couple of pins on the side ¨Damnit¨ He then turned to both Ekko and Taliyah ¨Oh yeah, speaking of girlfriend, when are you two going to make your relationship official?¨

¨WHAT?!¨ The two kids jumped fom their chairs, scared and even surprised looks on their faces.

¨We are not a couple¨ Ekko answered immediately.

¨We are f-f…frie-….¨ Taliyah tried spew the last word but she was unable, she didn't wanted to be like that.

¨Uhm… you ok Tali?¨ Ekko looked at her _friend_ and saw the struggle she was having, even though he was not aware.

¨It's just…¨ She sighed ¨Nevermind¨ The girl looked at the president trying to avoid the topic ¨Say Ren… since Sophie also went with Lux and the rest of the club, do you have any news from her?¨ It was true that ever since the guardians went to the beach Taliyah was kept in the dark of what they were doing there.

¨Not much, she is having fun with her club mates and told me they needed those vacations since the year was hard for them¨ He chuckled ¨How hard can it be to read and discuss a few books?¨

¨You would be surprised…¨ Riven muttered under her breath but her boyfriend didn't noticed what she said. And so the next turns passed and it was time for the warrior to annihilate the pins. She grabbed the ball and aimed for the center.

¨Do you think she can get a strike?¨ Taliyah asked, looking at the former ASG's toned arms.

¨Nah, last time it was her turn she only had two pins left, no chance she'll get a strike¨

But Riven's ears were not deaf, she heard the comment Ekko and frowned. The girl gave a heavy swing from her arm and the ball rolled through the middle of the lane, then she turned to face the rest of the group ¨Alright, who's next?¨ She said with a smile as all the pins on the back were falling.

Clearly Ekko tried to avoid Riven's crimson eyes, he got a taste of his own medicine after that.

…

The day continued and it went from bad to somewhat better, Riven and Ren lost the match but at least the sun was still coming shining from between the clouds. The couple was walking together, handholding and silent through the also-silent streets.

¨Guess we'll win next time, I mean, could've been worse¨

¨You're right, especially when three quarters of the points we had were made by me and probably¨ Riven sighed, looking at the sky ¨No offense Ren, but spending a lot of time with your friends… is not the way I imagined my vacations going¨

The president looked to his side and noticed how his girlfriend was not happy ¨Then you should've told me, I am open to any ideas that you have¨

¨I want to go out, be free, stay away from the city and all the sounds it makes¨

¨I mean… there city is pretty silent right now¨

¨I'm being serious!¨ She clicked with her mouth and looked to the buildings, the same direction where the monster used to be ¨I want a change of scenery, staying in the city reminds me of the battle that we had… I need some time not to think about that¨

¨Then we can do… something¨ Those last words trailed off as Ren saw something pinned on the board in front of the building, the big letter advertising as `Star Sightseeing´ ¨How about looking at the sky?¨

Riven raised a brow and turned to see the poster that advertised the activity ¨Camp Targon's Summer Starfall. Watch the summer meteor shower. Get out of the city and get to know some new stars. Games and amusement. Last chance for summer fun!¨ She read as her mind was deciding on the final answer ¨We'll go¨

¨Glad to know you made a quick decision. When is it?¨

¨Next week, we better prepare and buy all our supplies¨ She smiled, knowing that her boyfriend was willing to spend time with her on something that didn't involve his investigation club ¨Oh… and by the way, we are not sharing tents¨

¨What now? You know I don't bite!¨

¨Biting would be the least of my concerns, we are in a relationship but don't even think that just because we've been together for a month I will give in that easily¨ The white haired got closer to Reginald's ear ¨You have to prove me you can earn me¨ Those words were whispered and then she proceeded to bit his earlobe before dropping a kiss on his cheek.

¨Earn you? Alright, sounds doable… I think¨

* * *

 **Short chapter? Short chapter, but this is the end of Reginald's path before the camp, so with next chapter we'll also see the end of the guardian's vacations and then onto the camp as well, pretty much a lot of important things happen there, of course there's the twist of Ren and Sophie in the story so we'll see what happens :)**

* * *

 **ComradeBill:** _Well this is interesting, because Syndra was in the 2nd star guardian team. Then again, if she was a traitor in this story, why is she in the 2nd star guardian team. Maybe Reincarnation? Loss of memories? Or her trying to hatch some diabolical plans?_

 _I don't know, but I am interested to know more :)._

 _Another thanks for the update._

 _Btw, I would suggest giving titles to each chapter before you post (eg. Chapter 48- A Story from the Past, Chapter 43 - SG vs ASG etc). It may take a bit effort but it makes us readers keeping track of how to story progress easier and makes the overall story more professional._

 **Thanks for the review. About Syndra you'll know more with future updates, but so far there is nothing I can say that is not a spoiler.**

 **About the chapter names I've been thinking about it and right now they'll remain nameless (just Chapter and the number) maybe I'll change them eventually, but thanks for the tip.**

* * *

 **I wanted to buy some RP today but turns out the prices skyrocketed on my server, guess i'll just save up after RDR2 comes out.**

 **But enough rambling, chapter done but I guess I need to say this: I'll work on Heroes & Legends after the next chapter (it's been months since I updated it) so I can then resume with the camp sub-arc.**

 **Time for me to get some lunch but before I go, remember these wise words:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	50. Chapter 50

They spent some time on the vacation home, they were exhausted after going into town, the beach or even playing games inside or outside of their place; sometimes they did activities while using their powers to which Lux didn't like.

They were surprised because there have been no sightings nor alarms from the Dark Star or its minions. Were they afraid a huge wave would come and attack the city? Definitely but they knew they were prepared, or at least that's what they thought since the leader was worried that after they used their powers for some of the activities, they started to use them more and more up to the point they became dependent on them: Were they going to the store? Transform and then fly towards there just to turn back to normal in an alleyway. Need to dispose the garbage? Transform the bag into a small (yet compact) object and then fly it away with a rocket to the sea. These kind of problems ended up upsetting Lux but even after trying to convince the girls she was unsuccessful.

This day was for relaxation only, staying at home and especially no tasks that required powers. Jinx, Lux and Sophie were on the backyard, sitting on their garden chairs while looking at the inside of the house, the windows were tinted so the only thing they were able to see were the shadows of the other girls going back and forth.

¨So far Summer has been… different¨ Lux muttered, leaning back on the chair and looking at the blue sky.

¨And still no monsters, I'm not liking this¨ Sophie was concerned, did they actually defeat the Dark Star that day in the park? Clearly it wasn't what she expected, and neither did any of the members who were still expecting an actual attack from their enemy.

¨Does it really matter?!¨ Jinx leaned forward on her chair and stomped the ground, startling both Shiro and Kuro but they just kept sleeping ¨Got you little ant¨ She then turned to the two guardians ¨What matters is that we had full, uninterrupted and happy fun, ain't that right 'phie?¨

¨I told you not to call me that¨

¨How about Phiso? If you say that too many times it sounds like your name¨

¨Just stick to Sophie, or Soph…¨ And the rebel just chuckled before putting on the earbud and tapping the screen on her phone; some of her music was still audible past the artifact, making the support wondering how was the cyan haired not deaf already.

¨Girls, I feel like we should do something else, we are about to return to the academy and haven't even planned how the year will go¨ Even though Summer lasted for some more weeks, the vacations don't last that long and soon they would have to return to their studies. Unfortunately for the leader, Jinx was not even interested in returning ¨Are you two going to join us?¨

¨Yeah I'm-¨ But Sophie got interrupted when her phone started vibrating ¨Uh… just a moment¨ She grabbed the device and saw that she received a call from Reginald. Without interrupting what Lux was saying, the guardian stood up and went deeper into the garden, both Shiro and Kuro were following the rebel as the other two entered into the house, Shisa on the other hand went with the dark haired girl ¨Ren? Are you alive? How's everything there?¨

 _¨Woah, easy, it's been a while since we talked, you don't need to drown me in questions!¨_

¨Ok fine¨ She chuckled ¨Let's go with the basics: How are you doing?

 _¨Good… spending time with the club and… some other people¨_

¨Like Riven?¨ The sound of surprise from Ren on the other side of the line just made Sophie smile ¨Yes… I know, I've been told¨

 _¨Let me guess… Taliyah?¨_ And the guardian just gave an affirmative sound _¨I knew it, when it comes to relationships that girl is a danger, she can't keep a secret¨_

¨(Trust me she can) So Ren… why are you calling?¨

 _¨Well to see how you were doing, pretty sure spending time with the Literature Club must be boring. But also to ask you something, since we haven't spent a lot of time during the whole year I had an idea: How about camping?¨_

¨Uh… I would need you to elaborate¨

 _¨There is an event next week, star sightseeing, kind of weird if you ask me but it's something completely different from what we used to do in the city like bowling or the karts¨_

¨I don't know Ren… my parents haven't seen me in some time now and they probably want to spend some with me before classes start¨

 _¨I mean just… look, I'll send you a pic of the pamphlet and then you'll think about it. I convinced Ez, Taliyah and Ekko to go too¨_

¨Like I said, I don't know¨

 _¨Anyway, I gotta hang up now, Riv wants to go to the mall and buy supplies for the camp. Bye!¨_ And the call ended, a minute later she received the picture of the paper with all the information from the star sightseeing.

¨Camp Targon… mh… games and amusement. Last chance for Summer fun?¨ Sophie looked at Shisa, her brows up ¨What do you think?¨

¨Well Summer is still going but an activity different from what you did here would be interesting, besides once the academy starts you'll need to focus on your studies. You won't get into a good university if your grades are bad¨

¨I know, I know… but it sounds a bit weird you know? Watching at the stars when in theory _we_ are stars in itself¨

¨If we are technical then Janna is the only star but I can see your point¨

Sophie looked up to the sky, no star in the distance during that bright day ¨Do you think there are more of us? More Star Guardians fighting out there and defending worlds from the Dark Star?¨

¨I'm afraid not, all of the guardians disappeared, the few ones remaining are you six¨

¨And the traitor, and the two `baby stars´ from Janna and her former teammates¨

¨Which are just stories, you shouldn't worry about that… instead your focus must be on the academy and getting stronger, the Dark Star is still out there and it still faces a threat for you and the team¨

¨Guess that battle at the park was not the last one¨ She sighed ¨Alright, time to return with the girls¨ Sophie still held her phone and then proceeded to go inside, the shadows of the rest of the team were all together.

As the dark haired girl opened the door she saw Lux with her own phone and a flyer on the other hand ¨Pack your bag, ladies¨ The leader said and looked at the number on the bottom of the paper ¨We're going to welcome some new stars¨

¨Wait, what?¨

* * *

 **50 chapters, yay! Thanks for everyone who has followed the story whether it's from the beginning or even from the last chapter it is still not over and I will keep updating it (even though probably might end in 2019)**

 **This chapter must be familiar to you, took parts of the first chapter of the Starfall short (the SG season 2 story) and modified it for my story. You probably know what's going to happen next but of course, tweaks here and there.**

* * *

 **Pluckycross:** _Loving the story so far. Can't wait for another update. Legit read this in 3 days it was that enthralling._

 _Excited to hear more about the second star guardians and what Lux will do when she finds out her boyfriend is (possibly?) A member of a rival group. Star guardian Ezreal is my favourite skin and I was routing for him to become a SG from the beginning (really hope he does). Otherwise lovely story please keep posting._

 _P.S When do we get to see Star Guardian Urgot?_

 **I am glad that you are enjoying the story :D !**

 **The second team will come soon, sooner than expected and trust me, Lux will have a lot to talk about (this also includes Taliyah's rumor-spreading with her club and Sophie)**

 **As for Urgot... he is the secret weapon to defeat the Dark Star... if only the guardians could find him...**

* * *

 **That's a wrap for this sub-arc! I'm going to bed, trying to get ready for college tomorrow.**

 **You know how I felt when I saw on twitter that Red Dead 2 is getting a new trailer on Monday? I wasn't happy, I was ABSOLUTELY ECSTATIC. OVER THE MOON BOYS AND GIRLS!**

 **Anyways, hope you had a great weekend and here's to everyone starting a new week. Hope you enjoy the chapter, don't forget to fav, follow and review, everything makes me happy and I'll answer. This was Tourvelix, reminding you that tomorrow is the Play-In stage of Worlds and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	51. Chapter 51

The day finally arrived, the meeting point from where the bus would pick them all up was the gates of the academy; according to what some of the organizers already commented there were some groups there and this one was the last one.

Ren saw plenty of students waiting for the bus to arrive; the voices of everyone swarming the ears of the president who felt lost. However his senses came back to him as he felt a hand holding tightly to his, the eyes from the boy saw the crimson ones from Riven and he couldn't do anything but to smile.

¨Are you okay?¨ The white haired titled her head, she was worried because since they arrived at the academy, the boyfriend started to act nervous.

¨Y-yeah… it's just… going into the nature… it's something new for me¨

¨You're not going to tell me you never left the city…¨

¨I did… thing is, this is my first time camping¨ And Riven just burst out in laughter ¨What? It's common for people like me to not go out camping!¨

¨Ren, you have to get out of the city from time to time. Breathe the fresh air from the nature and forget about the sounds of the cars, machines and all that. We can do tons of stuff there like… walking, making a bonfire, fishing and…¨ She saw how the student was about to pull his phone but with a quick hand movement the white haired managed to steal it.

¨Hey that's mine!¨

¨Reginald, have you seen yourself?¨ The brown haired was wearing a white shirt with the Pentakill logo on it along with a black and red jacket; below he had a pair of jeans and some shoes that were already worn out ¨You are dressed as if you are going to take a walk around the city; besides you are also with your phone checking on the group to see if there is any Star Guardian activity, where we are going we won't see any guardians¨ Riven's eyes moved a bit to the left and saw someone in the crowd, a group of girls who were carrying their bags and trying to get on the front rows for the bus, the only discernible person was the cyan haired pushing everyone around with her bag, opening a path for her fellow companions ¨(I hate when I speak too early)¨

…

¨Group of girls coming through!¨ Jinx yelled, using her bag to push people left and right and creating a path for the rest of her team.

¨Jinx you don't have to do that, a simple `excuse me´ would be more than enough¨ Sophie was the one behind the rebel.

¨Sorry… sorry… sorry¨ Lux followed the two other girls, making a slight bow and trying to keep a straight face without being completely embarrassed because that's how Jinx was making her feel.

¨Alright this is a good place¨ The guardian said with confidence, knowing that she made a nice circle around of them ¨Anyway what do we do now?¨

¨We wait…¨ Lux's voice trailed off as she saw the bus coming ¨Oh there it is!¨ The leader turned to the rest of the team ¨Don't forget your bags¨

¨Don't worry we won't¨ Poppy grunted, it wasn't the first time Lux said that in the day.

As they bags were getting placed on the compartment the people that were ready started to get into the bus; Sophie was about to get in when she found a familiar face behind her.

¨Taliyah?!¨ The healer was surprised to see her friend there, she did mention that the guardians were going to the camp but that was all; the mere presence of the dark-skinned girl was pleasant for her, but it still struck her with some surprise ¨What are you doing here?¨

¨Walking around, seeing how things were at the academy… Now seriously, Ren suggested us to come, you were also coming so I said why not. Ezreal also agreed and then we pulled Ekko too¨

¨So the whole club is coming? Great now we have to be worried about using you-know-what¨

¨Don't be, the city has been calm with no monster attacks, the… uh… psychopath is still in the hospital according to Ren¨ Taliyah shrugged ¨I'd say your enemy took some vacations¨

¨Let's hope it stays that way…¨

The two girls got into the bus, Taliyah found an empty spot for the two of them but the moment Sophie tried to get on the seat she felt a hand grabbing her by the arm, it pulled the guardian to the seat opposite of her friend and this made the dark hair realize who her new companion was.

¨And now you are stuck here with me¨

¨Oh no…¨

…

The trip took around an hour, Sophie tried to create some conversation with Jinx but this last one was not the talkative person (at least on topics that the two of them liked) so the guardians were focused on their phones for the majority of the time.

Ren on the other hand was with Riven but spent his time both with her and Ezreal who was on an empty seat on the opposite side, the talks were between the Star Guardians and what they were planning to do on the camp; of course it was a first time for the president and his girlfriend.

Eventually the trip ended and the bus arrived at the destination, far away from the city where the only city-like sounds were the engines of the bus and the music from the loudspeakers.

¨So this is what people call… nature¨ Ren crossed his arms, looking at all the green as if it was something completely mysterious, however his tone did show some sarcasm.

¨Afraid of the wild?¨

¨If I wasn't afraid when Katarina tried to kill me then some trees and animals won't do anything to me¨

¨I mean if it weren't for Riven you would've screamed like a baby¨ Ezreal added, earning an angry look from his friend while the white haired just tried to contain a chuckle ¨What? It's true¨

¨I can't believe I've been here after plenty of years¨ Taliyah stretched her arms, embracing the fresh winds and the smell of freedom in that place ¨You know I used to come here during vacations before I even got into the academy, my parents would take me here so I could pet the animals¨

¨What about now?¨ Ekko stepped in ¨Are you going to do the same? Want me to find some bunny ears so you can pet me?¨

¨Yes, I mean… no… I mean¨

¨Ok relax!¨ Ren tried to calm the group who were now laughing at a very embarrassed Taliyah ¨I'll go to the check-in table to they can have our names, alright?¨

 _¨Why am I not surprised to see all of the Investigation Club here?¨_ A familiar voice struck into everyone's ears as they turned to see the popular girl from the academy along with a redhead by her side.

¨Ahri? What are you doing here? I thought the city and the night life were more fitting for you than… the wildlife¨ The president and everyone else were a bit confused with the presence of the blogger.

¨I have my reasons… you're not planning on doing more of your _investigation_ here, right mister Reginald?¨

¨What do you want Ahri?¨ Taliyah asked, in a similar fashion to Sophie, the girl was not very fond of the popular girl, but not enough to harbor any big hatred.

¨We came here for the golden boy¨ The group turned their heads towards Ezreal, he was trying to look away, as if he was embarrassed of the next thing he was going to do ¨Come on, we have to fill your name¨ Sarah was not talking with a happy tone, and clearly she was not going to waste any more time.

¨Wait… you're leaving us?¨

¨I… I was actually invited to the camp before you all guys did, but don't worry! I'll spend time with you too and-¨ But he couldn't finish, the red haired grabbed him by a necklace he was wearing and dragged the student out of there.

¨Syn is waiting for us, let's go¨ Ahri said and with an elegant turn she, Sarah and Ezreal left the club members to their own.

After a brief silence the group looked back at the trees and the whole camp that was extending down the cliff they were standing ¨So… we keep going on? You know, checking in and everything¨

¨Yeah… sure, I'll go with you¨ Riven agreed and both her and Ren went towards the check-in desk to have all their names written down. It was starting off as an awful camp, but for some reason the president felt things would get interesting.

* * *

 **And Ren is correct, the camp will start like this but as chapters go on everything will be more... spicy; of course if you read the Starfall story you can have an idea of what might come, but of course I said it many times already: Things might change.**

 **Now that I made that clear, next chapter will have a bigger focus on Sophie rather than in this one because Ren had more participation.**

* * *

 **This week is crazy, Tuesday we had the PBE with 5 new skins, today is the patch, tomorrow is a game event I'm interested in, Friday the release of RDR2 and the weekend is the semifinals. What is your opinion? Will NA get their first finals or will FNC come back for a second chance to be World Champions? I hope for the latter but even if C9 wins I'll be happy with a western team getting to the finals (even more if G2 wins against IG)**

 **This was Tourvelix telling you to review, fav and follow; also don't forget to that we'll have the halloween event soon and without further interruption I go back to the writing board without forgetting the most important part:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	52. Chapter 52

With the bus empty and all the guardians already with their belongings they grouped up in a near green space.

¨So we are here…¨ Lux looked at the rest of the team, even though only one person was not even paying attention since she had her headphones on ¨Remember the rules: No powers, no violence, no… unusual stuff, we are normal girls on a star-gazing camp¨

¨We all agree there is only one person who we can strike away from `normal´, right?¨ Poppy earned the laughs from a few of her teammates, only Jinx and Lux were the ones who kept a serious face; even if the former was still with her music.

¨I'm not joking, after our vacations on the beach we have to be a bit more responsible, if we are not then chances are someone might find out about our secret¨ And that's when Sophie remembered she literally leaked the secret to Taliyah not long after she became a guardian ¨I think I should…¨ The leader checked her phone to see the schedule she made for the camp ¨…go register us, anyone coming?¨

¨I will¨ Janna said and smiled.

¨Alright nerds¨ Jinx sighed and removed the headphones while putting them on her shorts ¨I'm going to find the pool. Time for some cannonballs¨ She then held her bag tightly and ran away towards the big mass of water that was nearby.

¨That's a lake!¨ Poppy shouted but the rebel was already far away ¨Are we sure we can't use our powers if there is danger? Like, imagine if someone is drowning in the lake¨

¨That will be the only exception, nothing else ok?¨ The other girls that remained in that circle nodded.

¨Look, butterflies!¨ Lulu changed the subject entirely and went running with her small bag in one hand and on the other Pix acting as a doll.

The white haired Yordle sighed and shook her head ¨I'll keep her safe, don't worry¨ And thus Poppy left.

¨What are you going to do Sophie? Coming with us?¨

But the dark haired looked at both Lux and Janna, then her eyes went towards the rebel who was still running towards the lake ¨Uh… I'll stay with Jinx, making sure she doesn't drown or do anything stupid¨

¨Alright, we'll check on everyone once we finish the inscription¨ And with a wave the three girls split up.

Sophie tried to follow Jinx' footsteps, the girl was fast but it took her quite a while before she could get to the shore. From there she saw the small head of the guardian in the water, swimming around and submerging just to appear somewhere else. The student sat on the sand and used that moment to think about her teammate, how it all started and how she bullied her before becoming a guardian; ironically enough the fact that they became allies eventually led to different kind of pranks. With time their bond grew stronger and Jinx treated Sophie equally (sometimes); this drew a smile on the guardian's face because they might become close friends one day.

¨Hey! Why don't you come and swim with me?¨ Jinx shouted from the water, waving her hand at the observer.

¨Maybe this is a good chance…¨ Sophie stood up and grabbed the lower part of her shirt ready to be removed but before she did anything, the guardian saw Janna walking angrily, away from the camp itself and towards the woods.

¨We'll be back at the academy if you keep me waiting!¨ But the dark haired did not hear the rebel and straightened her clothes before going with Janna to find out what was happening. After seeing Sophie walk away from the shore, Jinx grunted and frowned ¨Such a killjoy…¨ She muttered and slowly submerged her head into the water.

After following the oldest member into the forest the girl found out that Janna was yelling in a foreign language, one that she hasn't heard or could even recognize. The blonde was punching the tree and her voice showed not only anger but grief.

¨J-Janna?¨ Sophie asked, a bit worried and scared. The conflicted guardian turned, her hand caressing the red knuckles that were hitting the hard wood ¨Are you… okay?¨ But the girl remained silent, trying to avoid eye contact ¨I'll… I'll leave you alone… if you need some time¨

¨She is alive, Sophie¨

¨ _She_?¨

¨Syndra… I've seen her, for some reason she is back¨

¨Syndra? Isn't that the girl from your former team?¨ Janna nodded ¨I thought she was missing, captured by the Dark Star or something¨

¨So did I but when I saw her… it felt like it wasn't real; the person who destroyed my team, right in front of me…¨

¨Wait, hold on. Are you sure it was her? It could be someone that looked like her or-¨

¨I KNOW SOMEONE WHEN I SEE IT!¨ The guardian yelled, scaring Sophie ¨I know Syndra, I've known her for many mortal years…¨ Zephyr, Janna's familiar flew from its master's shoulder to the top of Soph's head ¨She disappeared and now out of nowhere she came back, is she here to torture me? To remember me I couldn't protect my sisters?¨

¨Janna, please¨ Sophie got closer to her teammate and gave her a hug ¨What happened in the past cannot be changed, what Syndra did to you or your team shouldn't affect you now. If that is in fact Syndra then there must be a reason, and we will find out¨

They remained like that for a minute, in silence. The newest member could hear some light sobbing from her companion.

Even though the silence was soothing for the oldest guardian, a familiar (yet irritating) voice ruined the moment ¨What are you two doing here? And why are you hugging like that?!¨ Jinx crossed her arms, she was still wearing that bikini she brought from the beach vacation while both Shiro and Kuro were floating above her head ¨Is Janna actually crying?¨ There was no doubt the rebel noticed the red eyes from the support.

¨It is nothing¨ Sophie broke the hug and the two looked back at the marksman ¨What are you doing here?¨

¨Lux came with Pops and Lulu to the shore and told me to find you; we are going to set up our tents¨

¨I will go…¨ Janna said, wiping the tears and walking back to the camp area, not even talking to Jinx or Sophie. It was best for her to ponder about the appearance of Syndra, maybe it was her mind playing tricks to her or it could even be something else.

¨What's with the old woman?¨ Jinx asked, looking at the dark haired who didn't seem too happy about how her teammate acted before ¨Valoran to Soph? Are you awake?¨

¨Mh? Yeah… it's… it's nothing. Let's go back to the camp¨

And with that both guardians returned, setting up their tents and preparing for a long night.

* * *

 **Short chapter because I want to set everything up for the next ones; I don't think I could consider any of the following a chapter for Ren or Sophie since it will include both, probably until the _big event_ that will happen soon. **

* * *

**Week's over, chapter done. Tomorrow Fnatic plays and I'll be half-asleep unless I wake up at 5. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to fav, follow and review. This was Tourvelix to remind you that season ends on the 12th of November and the last push for Gold or your desired ranks is in two weeks.**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	53. Chapter 53

Ren and Riven arrived by the table where some other students were giving away papers with the number and location of their tents.

¨Let's hope we get a good location…¨ Riven whispered, looking at all the people who had their campsites already assigned. Before they got to the front the two of them saw how Janna and Lux left, the former was angrier while the blonde was completely worried as she followed her friend.

¨Alright, our turn… I guess¨ Ren chuckled, trying to ease up the situation. The two of them got closer to the table and saw the dark purple haired girl writing down some numbers.

¨Who will be the representative?¨ The girl asked without looking up at the newcomers.

¨Uh…¨ The couple looked at each other until the president decided to talk ¨I'll do it¨

¨Full name and number of tents¨ The volunteer handed Ren a piece of paper with a pen.

¨Full name? I… uh…¨ He looked back at Riven ¨Please don't laugh¨ Trusting his girlfriend he started to write down the complete name, including his middle name.

¨Ren, we've been together for a while, I won't be laughing at- YOUR MIDDLE NAME IS JENNIFER?!¨

¨Come the freaking ON!¨ The student yelled on that last part, noting how annoyed he was that Riven couldn't keep a straight face ¨How is it that you were super serious back with all _the stuff_ ¨ He sighed, knowing that it was useless to try to reason with her ¨Speaking of which, I never got to ask your full name either, for me you are just Riven¨

¨And you waited this entire time to ask me?¨ The white haired did nothing but smile ¨Fine, it's-¨

¨I would like to enjoy the camp activities as well, so please fill in the paper¨ The woman in the desk said almost annoyed, still not raising her head.

¨Right… sorry¨ Ren wrote down all the information remaining and handed the piece of paper to the dark purple haired girl but before she accepted it, the hand from this last one held the boy's wrist prisoner ¨What the-¨

She looked up, half her face covered by the hair ¨So it is you¨

¨Have we met?¨

¨Not like this, but I know about you, seen you at the academy, and even in… peculiar places¨

¨Ren, what does she mean?¨

¨You like danger, I know you are entangled with the Star Guardian business, you are investigating them and by doing so you go into the most dangerous places¨ The grip on Ren's wrist was getting tighter and he tried to free himself from it ¨Tell me, what is your opinion on the guardians now that they destroyed a big chunk of the city?¨

¨They are good people who destroyed a big monster and they also took down an even worse enemy- Can you please give my hand back?¨

¨Is it blind faith? Perhaps you are more interesting that you seem?¨ A grin formed on Syndra's face, but on the other hand Riven was getting angrier, this of course was noticed by the older woman who turned her visible eye to the white haired ¨And what about you? Why are you attracted to this person? He doesn't look quite handsome and his personality is dull¨

¨I chose him because he is a caring person, he tried to save me in the past from… from a bad situation. He may not be handsome-¨

¨Hey…¨

¨And he may not be strong personality wise-¨

¨I'm right here…¨

¨But I love Jennifer- I MEAN REGINALD!¨

¨CAN WE JUST CARRY ON AND TAKE MY PAPER, PLEASE?!¨ The student yelled, knowing that every word Riven was saying about him was like digging his own grave.

¨Very well¨ The smug on Syndra's face as she removed her hand from Ren's wrist and took the paper off his hand. She took a quick glance at all the information and then gave a small token with the number 29.

¨Thanks¨ With a small movement of his hand the two students started to walk away only for the president to turn after getting whistled by the `evil´ woman.

¨I'll see you soon…¨

As the lovers left, mostly confused, they tried to stay away from the mysterious girl and then to reunite with their friends.

¨Are you sure this is the first time you met?¨

¨I swear… why would I want to meet a girl like that?¨ He sighed ¨Anyway… let's get back with the rest, this camp has been nothing but disappointment after disappointment so far¨

¨Don't worry, it will get better… Jennifer¨

¨One day I'll kill you for that…¨

…

The day went on, Ren and his people spent their time together, except for Ezreal who was still missing. As their talks and activities happened the hours also passed and thus the night finally arrived.

Around the lake a lot of people were gathered to witness the stars even if they would come in an hour. Ren was leaning by a tree, looking at all the couples having the time of their lives.

In his solitude a voice sent Ren back to reality, his eyes saw the white haired coming, wearing a white tank top and some military pants combined with sandals ¨I thought you were with the others¨

¨It was boring and I was alone… also listening to Ekko about his crush can get annoying sometimes¨

¨Ekko has a crush?!¨ Another voice joined the lovers and as they turned they were both surprised to see the dark haired girl.

¨Hey Sophie, fancy joining us with the star thing?¨

¨No… uh… just… I needed some time¨ The guardian shook her head ¨Anyway, what's this about Ekko having a crush?¨

¨He is interested in Taliyah, been talking about it nonstop ever since we arrived¨

¨Wait, how is it that I never heard about it?¨

¨Well-¨

¨Guys… you _do_ know what that means, right?¨ But the other two remained silent ¨Taliyah also has a big crush for Ekko… I've been thinking something… what if we work together for a little project I just thought?¨ Once again Ren and Riven remained mute to the words of the guardian ¨Ekko and Taliyah have a crush for each other, but they do not know it, right? Well, tonight with all the star seeing we can make a moment for them, you get me where I'm heading?¨

¨Sort of…¨ Ren tilted his head ¨How are we going to get them… you know… together?¨

¨We lie to them!¨ Sophie said happily, she heard a disapproving grunt coming from a grumpy familiar.

¨So we tell Ekko that Taliyah has a crush on him and vice versa? I mean… it's not lying¨ Riven liked the plan even if it had a lot of flaws.

¨Yeah we are just speeding up the process, but you know? I'm in Soph, what do we do?¨

¨Go find Ekko and tell him that Taliyah loves him, I'll do the same but with her¨

….

Back on the camp Ekko had a small campfire set up and it was already lit. After seeing Ren and Riven returning he stood up and smiled.

¨I thought you were going to see the stars¨

¨We came here to tell you something…¨

¨Something of vital importance¨ The president continued what Riven started ¨We heard a rumor, well, not heard but actually coming from the person's mouth: Taliyah loves you!¨

¨W-what?!¨ Ekko felt many things: fear, desperation, happiness, anxiety ¨A-are you sure? I mean… that is some serious stuff that you are saying prez¨

¨If you don't believe Ren then believe me, Taliyah is going to see the stars and wants to meet you there¨

¨She wants to meet **me?!** Oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no. What should I do? What should I say? What if she is having a panic attack and said that just to feel better? Is that even possible? I don't know anymore¨

¨Ekko, relax…¨ Ren placed his hand on the dark skinned's shoulder ¨There are three words you can say to her, so go ahead. Also try not to look nervous, girls don't like that¨

¨Speak for yourself…¨ Riven raised a brow, she always loved when her boyfriend would be like that since she could calm him down with kisses and hugs.

¨In any case… go on man, she's waiting for you…¨

¨Yeah uh… Thanks… uh… Ren and Riven… this will not be easy¨

¨It never is…¨ The couple said at the same time and waved as the other club member abandoned the camp ¨So… what should we do now?¨ The president and his girlfriend sat by the campfire ¨You think this plan will work?¨

¨Love can sometimes be a blind mistress, but I do think it will work, Ekko and Taliyah would make a nice couple¨

¨So what about us? Do _we_ make a nice couple?¨

¨Well, considering our relationship started almost in secrecy due to the ASG, I'd say that with time we became closer. So yeah… we do make a nice couple¨

There was silence between them, the cracking sound of the wood and the night creatures were the only ones that were making sounds in the camp.

¨Why did you chose me?¨ Ren's question clearly put Riven out of balance as she never expected that ¨You said I am not good looking, neither strong when it comes to personality. So… why?¨

¨I said it, you are caring, your personality is not strong but you shine over other places; you worry about the others and even tried to save me from the ASG¨ She held hands with Reginald ¨I can't thank you enough for doing it, even if I told you to stay away¨

¨Yeah… well… you know I can't let a cute girl like you get hurt¨ He chuckled, almost to himself but he never expected a kiss on the cheek from the white haired ¨Thanks…¨

¨However you should do some exercise¨ She pointed at his belly and poked at it ¨Eating burgers every week is not healthy for you¨

¨Seriously? First my mother and then you, can I get a break out of it¨ Riven answered with a beautiful laugh ¨Let's go, we'll miss on the…¨ Ren's voice trailed off as they both heard a strange noise coming from the woods, strangely enough it was going deeper rather than towards the lake ¨…stars… what was that?¨ The couple stood up but it was only the president who gave a few steps in the direction of the sound ¨You think… there might be monsters?¨

¨Ren we should go¨ But the boy did not listen to the warrior's words ¨Ren?¨ Those were the last words from Riven as the two of them ventured deeper into the woods to investigate the strange sound, the former ASG knew that what she heard was not normal and not something the nature could produce, yet she was also curious about the origin of what that was.

* * *

 **What happens between Ekko and Taliyah will be seen from Sophie's perspective, also she might know a bit more about that strange sound, but more on that on the next chapter!**

* * *

 **ComradeBill:** _Ohh, this is intense, waiting to see Syndras reaction of Janna._

 **Not a lot but I can assure you you'll see more on Syndra's opinion about Janna as the chapters go on, after all she will be an usual face during this arc.**

* * *

 **Well, this is the week; on saturday we'll know whether Fnatic or IG wins Worlds, I hope for the former even if I'm not from an EU country.**

 **So here's a story. I decided to do my placement matches on NA and it was until yesterday that I finished my placements; with 7 wins and 3 defeats I ended up in Gold V, not sure why I got in that rank with 3 loses but ok, I'll take the skin.**

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to follow, fav and review. This was Tourvelix to remind you... that I need to remember something to remind you.**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	54. Chapter 54

¨For the last time! Nail the sticks into the grass and then start raising the tent¨ Poppy's instructions were repeated over and over and it seemed like both Jinx and Sophie were having a hard time trying to set up their makeshift home. It wouldn't be until the seventh attempt (and with help of Janna, Lulu and Poppy) that their work would be done.

¨It was hard… but we did it¨ Sophie smiled as she wiped the sweat from her forehead.

¨This would be easier with our powers since Poppy could've hammered those nails down!¨ The rebel wiped the grass that was still in her shorts; from the girl's bag Shiro grabbed a bottle of water and floated with it until the guardian grabbed it.

¨Remember what Lux said: We have to try to survive this camp without using the powers, we might become addicted to them¨ Janna advised and told everyone about the blonde's rule that they were told countless times before and during the trip.

¨Speaking of that where is our _oh mighty leader_? Shouldn't she be here to help us with the camp?¨ Jinx looked around the forest but no sign of their friend ¨Seriously, where is she?¨

¨Last I heard she was by the lake¨ The hammer's carrier crossed her tiny arms, looking as Jinx walked away ¨Yeah it's not like we don't have anything else to do, right? What an idiot…¨

¨Anything else we have to do?¨

¨We're going to need wood for the campfire and food for the night. I'll go get the wood, Janna think you can get the food from the kitchen? Each group should have a ration according to the pamphlet¨

¨Actually… let me get the wood, you head into the main area¨ While no one else knew yet the reason of why Janna wanted to avoid returning to the area near the lake was so she could avoid meeting Syndra because even though last time she was able to contain herself, maybe next time it won't be so easy for her to stand down. Of course Sophie knew about this but decided to remain silent, if someone were to reveal this whole situation that should be the advisor herself.

¨Okay, fine, but no powers¨

¨Don't worry, I won't¨ And both Janna and Poppy went to their respective locations.

Both Sophie and Lulu were the only members remaining in the camp; the dark haired started by moving the bags from Jinx and Lux inside of the tent before doing it with hers, from time to time she took a look at Lulu but the little girl didn't move from that same spot, always happy and cheerful with her book.

¨That Syndra girl is dangerous¨ Shisa followed the guardian back and forth as she kept moving stuff between the `middle´ of the camp and the tent.

¨Janna has her reasons to distrust her, if she is certainly back then we have to be careful. I'm with her on this one, her sudden appearance is more than suspicious¨

¨Which is why we have to use the time in this camp to improve as a team but to find out about that former guardian¨ Shisa frowned at the smoke coming from the big cottages on the opposite side of the lake ¨The Dark Star seems to get closer every day, I fear one day we'll have to face it, and that moment is not too far¨

¨When the time comes…¨ Sophie stopped in her tracks, thinking about that moment, she trained and while the whole team managed to defeat big creatures and an enemy like Katarina, her heart still skipped a beat whenever the Dark Star is mentioned, an entity so powerful that no guardian could defeat it ¨We'll see what happens, but we have some other issues right now¨

¨Like why are you going to sleep in the same tent as Jinx and Lux?¨

¨Well Lux is my friend¨

¨What about Jinx? Didn't she bully you enough times already?¨

¨That was a long time ago, right now we are… trying to be good friends, sure she can be annoying sometimes but… eventually I managed to understand her¨ Shisa was confused after hearing the guardian say that ¨When our powers switched I started to see things differently, I had this strange urge to destroy things, I kept it a secret and tried to contain it but that feeling… it got to me, whenever we were fighting against the ASG my blood boiled, it was hatred over them and I wanted to destroy them¨

¨So you are saying that you felt more like… Jinx? So my theory was correct¨ Now it was time for Sophie to be confused at Shisa's statement ¨During my time with Jinx I started to notice her different. Her behavior was nothing like the usual, she was more… calm, collected… I felt as if I was with someone like you¨

¨Did you say something to her? Because Shiro and Kuro told me some… background on Jinx¨ Soph on one of the logs that they brought from the forest to be used as a bench ¨Her attitude… it's a bit justified, she's not having an easy life. Her mother is the one living with her while her father comes once per week; they told me that Jinx was fed up of being taught how to be polite and everything, she had all that… emotion held within her, waiting to get out. Becoming a Star Guardian was a way for her to release all that tension and emotions, she might be happy destroying stuff but deep inside… she's broken¨

¨And you intend on fixing her? Sounds like a noble goal¨

¨I will try… but ultimately it depends on her to accept my help¨ And after that conversation Sophie kept working on having everything ready.

…

Hours passed, the group was finally reunited as they chatted until night came, however Sophie wanted some free time and thus she decided to go out for a walk. In her path she found both Reginald and Riven and heard about the crush Ekko has for Taliyah, so after creating the most perfect (and out of the blue) plan Sophie did her part and went to the lake to find Taliyah.

¨Got yourself way too close to the lake¨ Sophie started the conversation as she got closer to the distracted girl who was looking at the stars.

¨I know how to swim, don't worry¨ Taliyah slightly eyed her friend who was now at her side and also looking at the stars ¨Haven't you wondered if there are other Star Guardians out there?¨ Of course the answer would be yes considering how things were playing that day but Sophie decided to play along.

¨Maybe…¨ She looked around and saw how there were people nearby and talking about said subject would be dangerous ¨How's the rest of the group?¨

¨Fine, however Ezreal is missing. Ahri took him along with some other people from the academy¨

¨Wait, Ahri is here?¨ Sophie grunted, her problem with Ahri was still there but unlike the first time last year the `hate posts´ that the girl did on her blog were reduced to one every two weeks ¨ _Please_ let her stay away from me¨ This was the time, the guardian mustered courage and hoped that Taliyah's reaction was positive ¨So… Tali… I heard a rumor about Ekko¨

¨A-a rumor?¨

¨Yeah and you'll like it… probably¨ She got closer to whisper it on the girl's ear ¨Ekko… has a crush on you¨ And there was silent between the two students, Sophie started to get worried that her friend did not show any reaction to what she said ¨Uh… Taliyah?¨

¨Where is he?¨

¨He's… uh… in your, wait no. I see him, he's over there¨ The girl pointed at the other side of the camp and almost immediately ran towards where the white haired was.

From behind the guardian tried to go into the woods and follow without her friend noticing. By the time the chase was over Sophie hid behind one of the trees and looked as both Taliyah and Ekko were talking.

¨Come on… you know you want each other…¨ Sophie whispered to herself and saw how the two of them held hands and after a few seconds their lips touched the ones from the other, creating a magical moment for the dark haired to watch ¨Yes!¨ She wanted to stay, she wanted to see her friend enjoy the night but something took the girl's attention.

¨Soph Soph Soph!¨ Jinx came running along with Janna and Poppy ¨Lulu is missing¨

¨W-what?!¨ Sophie turned immediately, knowing that this meant trouble ¨What happened?¨

¨Lulu was sleeping an hour ago and now she is no longer in the tent, Lux left a note that she was going after her but she is nowhere to be found!¨ Poppy explained the situation ¨We must go deeper into the forest¨

¨But…¨ The guardian shook her head ¨Forget the camp, we need to find those two¨ They all agreed and ran back to where their tents were.

Despite Lux's indications they had to transform to cover more ground; they spread out in different directions but so far there was no sign of the two missing girls. Sophie went south and aside from lots of trees there was nothing noticeable, no fires or lights that could indicate that at least _someone_ was there. Eventually hear search was narrowed when a strange noise was heard, she flew in that direction and saw a clearing but it was anything but calm because there were plenty of monsters from the Dark Star already.

¨Wait, the Dark Star?! They returned!¨ Sophie's eyes looked to the right and saw the two missing guardians ¨There they are, now I need to tell the others to com-¨ But her words were interrupted because in the middle of the clearing four bright lights appeared: Purple, cyan, red and orange. After a few moments those lights vanished and instead four young people appeared, their attires were different from the usual and some didn't even look like humans, there was a distinct emblem in all of them, a four-pointed star in their clothes ¨This… this can't be… _more Star Guardians?!_ ¨

* * *

 **A new couple was formed but now there are more important issues, with Lux and Lulu found these new guardians might be trouble for the older team. But we won't know anything about them until next chapter.**

* * *

 **So as I'm writing this A/N there are teasers for new skins on the PBE, sure: Leona, Camille, Lissandra... and Star Guardian onesies. Now I was confused at first but after seeing Soraka using an onesie of Shisa... well... I'm sold**

 **That being said this will be a short A/N so hope you enjoyed the chapter. This was Tourvelix to remind you next week is the season end so until then:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	55. Chapter 55

The sounds that came from the forest became more frequent and especially louder, they were getting close.

¨Ren are you sure this is a good idea?¨

¨It never is… I mean, remember all the battles that I was in¨ They got to the clearing but so far they can't see anything relevant.

¨That is precisely what I meant¨ Riven got a hold of the president's arm, they looked each other in the eyes although the white haired was the one showing a worrisome look ¨Ren, I mean it, if you get hurt… if _something_ were to happen to you… I wouldn't forgive myself for it¨ Her hand moved to meet with the boy's ¨Please… let's go before anything hap-¨ And the two students looked up as they saw four colorful trails from the sky, going directly into the middle of the clearing; on the opposite side two more lights, one pink and the other one green appeared as they flew immediately to join the other ones.

¨What in the world?¨ Their couple was confused as they saw that there were more of those lights along with creatures from the Dark Star ¨Are those… monsters? Here? In the camp?!¨

¨Ren, we have to go, I don't like this¨

¨Wait, are those… Star Guardians too?!¨

¨REN!¨ The scream from Riven distracted his sightseeing as he turned wildly just to see one of the scythe monsters to charge against them. The creature pushed the couple close to the center of the clearing where the rest of the guardians started to fight ¨I can't let those things hurt him…¨ Riven clenched her fist as if she grabbed the grip from the sword; at first nothing happened but in mere seconds the cloth-covered grip appeared in her hand and the rest of the sword started to materialize; her outfit started to change and a surge of energy came to her as the transformation ended ¨Stay behind me¨

…

¨(Why does he keep getting in this kind of trouble everytime?)¨ Sophie thought to herself as she saw Ren getting protected by his girlfriend.

From time to time the guardian's eyes went to the other group that got there first; they were in fact Star Guardians. Most of them looked humans except for the girl that acted as the leader, she had fox ears and nine tails coming out of her lower back.

¨Soph, we need you focused!¨ Jinx yelled at her teammate as she was firing at the creatures that were slowly increasing in number.

¨Everyone stay close to me!¨ Janna ordered and she tapped the bottom part of her staff against the grass. Suddenly a strong wind started from that spot and it went outwards as it pushed many of the Dark Star's minions while at the same time healing the wounds of those who have been hurt, mainly Riven and Reginald.

¨Nicely done Janna, it seems that age hasn't slowed you down a bit¨ Syndra's voice was distracting for the support since that compliment sounded like a taunt, not surprising for her. She wanted to turn around and send the mage flying away but starting up a fight against the other guardian team would be a bad idea, _especially_ when the small creatures are still multiplying in numbers.

¨Listen you-¨

¨Forget about fighting each other, if they get to the camp our problems will multiply tenfold¨ The fox leader warned that some of the creatures were already heading close to the woods and no one was nearby to stop them.

¨Leave that work to me!¨ The blond and turquoise haired grinned and ran towards the minions, he extended his arm forward and a bow appeared in an apparatus attached to his arm. As he pulled the stardust-covered string a projectile flew to the fast opponents, eliminating them in a swift and fashionable way ¨Too easy¨

¨Hey sparkles, leave something to me¨ The ginger grunted, her pistols firing projectiles at high speed and thinning the numbers.

¨How are they so good?¨ Lux couldn't stop to see how the leader was keeping the entire tempo of the battle, she was the one giving out orders and making things work, from her side the Dark Star was getting defeated while on the side of the original team there wasn't any good results ¨Uh… Poppy try to… uh… hammer them away!¨

¨There's too many!¨

¨Jinx try to blow them up!¨

¨I won't risk hurting us!¨

Lux was getting desperate, not only none of her orders went through but there were also bad ones since they would bring more risk and problems than actual solutions. Unfortunately for her one of the creatures rammed the leader and her head hit against the grass, the impact was so powerful she fell unconscious.

On the other hand the other team was able to finish their side of the battle and fought against the ones from the other part, cleaning the majority as the few ones that remained.

¨Lux, Lux!¨ Sophie flew towards her friend. She tried to heal her but most of her injuries were minimal except for the head which was the one that needed more work.

The battle went on, the guardians and Riven were finishing the last monsters and the remaining people were unharmed.

¨It's over…¨ Riven muttered, she lowered her guard, knowing that the problems were over ¨We should get going back to the camp¨ The moment the girl turned she saw one of those small creatures that used to spit acid jump towards Ren. The president tried to block himself but the monster was able to bite down hard on the student's arm, causing him to yelp in pain as he fell to the ground ¨REN!¨ The white haired yelled, prepared to swing the blade.

The brown haired felt weak, he felt as if the bite on the arm was not only draining his strength but it was also poisoning him as the acid that was pouring out of the mouth was burning his own blood. Even if the blade cut the monster in half, the wound was still there. With help from both teams they threw the remaining of the minion away as they surrounded the wounded student.

¨No…¨ Riven whispered to herself.

¨The injury is small but… he's poisoned¨ Janna looked at the bite marks on the arm and then at the former ASG who already had tears in her eyes forming.

¨No… please¨

¨C-can't you do something?!¨ Ezreal was also worried that his friend might not survive this encounter; after going through many battles this was not a way to die.

Janna's hand started to glow with a green hue, the wounds on the arm were closing and the blood was also cleaning from the skin. From behind everyone, Sophie was still looking at her friend getting healed while the guardian was with Lux and Jinx, the latter sitting on the grass, her red eyes moving between the pink haired and the turquoise one.

¨What happened Jinx? Lux seemed… desperate¨

¨I don't know… but that other team made sure everything was under control, it feels… odd¨

¨Yeah…¨ The two girls were looking at the rest, still uncertain about what happened, did they fail? Clearly the monsters were eliminated and the camp was safe but it was not on the original teams' merit, it was all on the others.

As Janna finished healing Reginald her hands returned to normal and the green hue disappeared ¨It is done¨

¨Wha… What's going to happen to him?¨ Riven was also desperate, she used her sword as support as she kneeled to be on the same level as the purple haired ¨Please tell me he is not..¨

¨He isn't. His wounds are healed but…¨ Janna tried to look away, this last part might not be good for the girlfriend ¨The poison is still within him, the only way to remove it completely would be to cut off his arm but… he should be alright¨

¨All of this is my fault…¨

¨Riven don't blame yourself, you protected him¨ Ezreal tried to comfort the warrior who stood, the tears were falling over the unconscious body of the president ¨You did well¨

¨I failed to protect him… **IT WASN'T ENOUGH!** ¨She yelled and turned to where no guardian was and threw her blade on the ground with a furious swing. The sword shattered and plenty of fragments flew everywhere, some of them disappearing on the thick grass while others were still visible. Without nothing else to do the girl returned to her normal self and the weapon disappeared; she grabbed Reginald's body and carried him bridal style, without saying anything else the two of them returned to the camp.

Meanwhile Sophie and Jinx grabbed Lux and started to drag her out of the clearing. The bright eyes from the first one slightly looked at the people from the other team and saw that the fox girl was focusing on her. Without saying anything either both teams split up and returned to their respective camps without knowing the identity of the others, at least for now.

* * *

 **I need to improve writing fighting scenes. And that's one of the big points in the Summer Camp and how both Sophie and Ren participated in it. Of course there will be more next chapter but if I were you I wouldn't forget that wound the president had, nothing happens without a consequence so remember that :)**

* * *

 **Ever had that feeling when you take an exam thinking it will go well but as days go on you think it will go bad but in the end you manage to pass somehow? Yeah that happened, somehow.**

 **Next week is the end of the ranked season and I have yet to get 3 wins on ranked on both LAS and NA. I will also keep writing more chapters before going back with Heroes & Legends, probably finish the camp sub-arc and then move on with some more chapters at the academy, after all a new year starts for our both characters. **

**I'm debating on whether i should drop a discord link to my server in case someone wants to chat or play, I'll tink it over the next chapter.**

 **And this is my time to go, I'm tired after a week with exams so now I need rest. hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to fav, follow and review, do remember that I read every of those mentioned and they make me happy (even if it's hatemail).**

 **This was Tourvelix to remind you that in 3 weeks Riot will announce the `Flower mage´ Champon. Last but not least, my quote to finish this:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	56. Chapter 56

After the big fight it was clear that everyone scattered away back to the main camp, some people returned to their tents while others just wandered for some time until they needed to go to sleep. Riven carried her boyfriend back to their spot and as they reached there both Taliyah and Ekko were surprised (if not frightened) after seeing an unconscious and dirty Reginald.

When they asked the white haired what happened she just remained silent, a look of disappointment and sadness over herself. The girl went inside the president's tent and laid him there, she then sat by his side, looking at how he peacefully slept. The red eyes deviated from his face and focused on the arm, the teeth marks were no longer visible but those spots did have some dark small `veins´ around it, probably the residue of the poison that Janna mentioned.

¨I'm so sorry Ren… I failed you…¨ A small tear fell from the warrior's eye ¨You trusted me… and I failed you…¨ That was the moment where she started to cry, her sobbing could be heard even outside of the tent where the newly formed couple looked at the shadow of Riven.

¨Do you think the prez is…?¨

¨No… he can't be… he would've have brought him here, right?¨ Taliyah answered, holding herself to Ekko's arm ¨I'm scared…¨

¨Whatever it was… it had to be something serious…¨

…

The night passed and the morning finally arrived. After the battle the guardians returned to their area and carried Lux back to the tent and slept until the sun was rising.

Sophie opened her eyes and saw as the small cracks on the cloth allowed her to see the dark blue sky, it was still early. She rose up and looked to the left just to see Lux still asleep but Jinx however was missing. After getting a shirt a pair of shorts and a bag to carry Shisa, the guardian left the tent slowly so she didn't wake her friend up. One thing the dark haired noticed was that the other tent was also empty and thus the only people in that camp was Lux and herself.

¨I should find the rest…¨ She whispered to herself and started to walk towards the main camp.

There were voices around, people who were also waking up or even going in the same direction as Sophie, however there was someone who was not doing it, someone who was walking to the Star Guardian area, a person that was familiar for Sophie's eyes even though they weren't friends or even close.

The bright pink haired student locked her eyes with the guardian and vice versa, it was strange to see it in the camp and even more going towards the direction from where Soph came from.

They didn't say a word to each other but Ahri stopped on her tracks and turned to see the guardian who was walking away but still on an audible range ¨You did good yesterday¨

¨Huh?¨

¨You seem to care about your team but you also want to see the Dark Star eradicated as well¨

¨W-what…¨ Sophie was speechless, Ahri was already talking about the Dark Star and most importantly how _she_ cared for her friends ¨What do you mean team? Dark Star?¨

¨Let's not beat around the bush, shall we?¨ The popular girl walked back to where Sophie was so they could talk without having to raise their voices and anyone else to hear their conversation ¨I know you are a Star Guardian, the whole Literature Club is your front. Lux, Jinx, Poppy, Lulu and Janna, we know you are guardians and what you've been doing but you must know this: I am like you, I am the leader of the other team you saw yesterday¨

That's when the realization came, the people they saw yesterday was Ahri and her team, there was no other way she could know about the Dark Star or even her identity, she trusted Taliyah and even she doesn't like the pink-haired's attitude. It was bad enough that Jinx was a Star Guardian but Ahri? Even Katarina would've been a good guardian (minus her killer attitude) ¨So… so you…¨

¨Yes?¨

¨How did you… did the First Star?¨

¨Now is not the time to talk about that, I would love to but I need to talk to Lux¨ Ahri was about to leave but Sophie grabbed the student's arm to keep her there.

¨Why are you telling me this? Who else knows?¨

¨So far? You, but since you want more answers I will tell you this. I want the best for all of us, vacations have been hell for us since we focused on taking down all of the creatures from the Dark Star, you didn't show up at any moment and last time I heard you were having a fun time on the beach¨

¨Wait, there were monsters appearing? But… how did we not notice?¨

¨Because me and my team have been dealing with it, trying to keep the city safe while you were having… fun¨ Ahri sighed ¨But don't get me wrong Sophie, I respect what you all did in the past and how you dealt with those things at the academy and also with the ASG¨

¨You knew?!¨

¨I was well informed. I want you to know that I changed, from our first encounter I never knew you were a Star Guardian, all the hardships you had to endure, the suffering… It wasn't until I found about your true identity that I started to learn the reason of your actions. I know what I did in the past is inexcusable and I can't change it, but I am deeply sorry for what I wrote in my blog¨

¨What? You… you are _sorry?_ ¨ This was unbelievable, not only she was told about Ahri's new ¨job¨ but also the fact that she felt bad for what she did was something impossible, and yet it was happening at that moment ¨I…this is… going too fast. While I do appreciate telling me this and I do forgive you… can you at least post on your blog about… I don't know, being wrong on what you said?¨

¨I wish, but everyone following what I write will think you are bullying me. Best I do is stop writing about you, but I think I deviated a lot from one of the points I wanted to discuss with you: I know you care about your friends, family and your team and I also know about you want to eliminate the threat that is the Dark Star, thus I want you to be part of our team¨

¨Wait, what?! No no no, this is… I can't abandon Jinx and the others! You are asking me something impossible¨

From the pockets of her bag the familiar came out, looking angrily at the guardian ¨As much as you would hate it, Ahri has been working on taking down the Dark Star while all of you were having vacations¨

¨But I can't accept it! They are my friends¨ She replied to the small creature that crossed its tiny arms and frowned.

¨Then if they are your friends they will understand if you join us. Sophie, I'm not asking you to betray your team, I'm asking you to help us with our common enemy¨ Ahri grabbed the dark haired's hands and looked at her in the eyes ¨You are a valuable team member and I believe you are a good person as well. You want to keep everyone safe?¨

¨Well… yeah… the Dark Star is our enemy but… my friends…¨

¨I know how you are feeling, but I want you to listen to reason Sophie¨ Once again the team leader sighed ¨I stated my case, if you ever feel like joining us in taking down the Dark Star you will know that we will be waiting you with our arms open. Now if you excuse me I need to talk with Lux¨ Ahri turned and resumed her walk towards the Star Guardian camp.

Sophie stood there, thinking about what the girl said, Shisa on the other hand was a bit angry that the guardian was thinking about this; her duty was to protect everyone from the danger that is the Dark Star, her friendships was something secondary and she should be ready to move on when the time comes. After a few minutes of her brain battling over this new information she allowed the familiar to return to the bag and then headed to the main camp to try and find the rest of her team.

…

As the morning arrived the president woke up, feeling dizzy from last night. He tried to stand up but felt something weighing him down, as he looked to the left the white locks of the warrior were blocking his vision, the head of the girl now resting over his bare chest. He slightly shook Riven's shoulder to wake her up.

¨Riv… come on¨ From her sleep the former ASG woke up, opening her eyes to see the confused Reginald. She couldn't hold it and cried, hugging the now even more confused student ¨What? Rivy, come on there's no need to cry…¨

¨I'm crying for you!¨ She kissed the boy's neck before standing once again ¨I felt bad for you yesterday, I failed to protect you¨

¨I… uh…¨ He looked down and saw how he wasn't wearing his shirt ¨What happened? Or what did you do to me?¨

Riven wiped the last remaining tears off her cheeks ¨You don't remember?¨ But she received nothing in response ¨We were investigating some strange sound, it was the Star Guardians fighting the monsters; thing is there was another team of guardians too. We fell in the middle of the battle and I tried to protect you but…¨

¨But?¨

¨We thought we were done but you got attacked by one of those things and you were poisoned¨ Riven grabbed the injured arm and showed the president the few spots that were `infected´ ¨One of the guardians healed you but said you still had poison in your system¨

¨So... does that mean I'm going to die?!¨

¨No! She said you should be fine, maybe in time those things will disappear¨ She saw how her boyfriend was getting his shirt on and the two of them left ¨Ekko and Taliyah are by the lake, they were worried about you so I suggest talking to them¨

¨What about Ezreal?¨

¨Haven't seen him, he probably doesn't know anything either¨ Before Ren could go to the lake the white haired stopped him ¨You won't go anywhere¨

¨But I thought you told me to talk to-¨ But his words were interrupted when she dropped a kiss on the student's lips ¨That felt… weird, as if it was the first time ¨

¨I don't want it to be the last… seeing you all night like… that… it broke me…¨ She finished that sentence with silence and a hug ¨I don't you to be gone Ren…¨

¨Me too Riv… being with you is something different, for the better but…¨ He sighed and broke the hug ¨Let's go find Ekko and Taliyah, shall we?¨

¨You go first, I… uh… need to do something¨

¨Do you need help?¨

¨It's…¨ She looked around, almost embarrassed for the next part ¨Woman stuff…¨

¨Wom-? Oh… oh right, sorry, I'll meet you at the main camp then¨ She nodded and waved as the president left.

Riven waited until he was no longer visible; with a frowned look on the warrior's face she decided to take a walk back to where the fight was held. Of course going there with the other student might have its consequences and while there were probably no more monsters, she knew she could defend herself in case something was still alive.

Once in the battlefield the white haired looked everywhere until she found something that caught her attention. One of the fragments of the blade was still there, even if she wasn't transformed. As soon as her fingers touched the cold metal she saw how it lit up, much like how she was used to during her ASG form.

¨If I can't protect Ren then I'll teach him how to do it…¨ She then proceeded to grab a few more fragments and carried it to her tent; there was an idea behind those and a bigger intention, if what she saw the last night was an indication, the appearance of a second Star Guardian team means that there's more trouble underway.

* * *

 **Lulu can see the future, or can she? In any case Sophie has the doubt seed planted within her while Ren might be facing some consequences; but for now it is time for the two of them to prepare for the new year and like I mentioned (if I did) it will be an eventful year for both the guardians and the Investigation Club. It will be _very_ interesting.**

* * *

 **We start the week with a new chapter, there should be two more to finish the summer camp sub-arc, until then hope you enjoyed it.**

 **Tomorrow is the last day of ranked and I hope you can actually get to gold or higher (or if you are bronze to silver) and if not, best of luck next year for Season 9**

 **Don't forget to follow, fav and review. This was Tourvelix to remind you that Diablo Immortal exists an a remaster for Diablo 2 died for it. Now onto more happy words:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	57. Chapter 57

His walk to the lake was short but during his time alone the president constantly looked at his arm; the small spots were still there and it terrified him the idea of the poison. If he was still infected, then no nurse could cure him and probably the best way to survive would be to contact the Star Guardians which shouldn't be hard considering he pretty much runs into them every time they fight.

As he reached to the destination Ren saw the newly formed couple cuddling by the dock ¨So the plan worked!¨ The student said with a smile; his voice startled the other two who were happy to see him walking. Taliyah ran towards him and gave him a hug while Ekko just patted his friend's back.

¨We saw you getting carried by Riven last night, we were worried that you… well¨

¨What happened to you, prez?¨

¨Back in the camp Riven and I heard some noises coming from deep inside the forest, when we got there we found out there were monsters and the Star Guardians were fighting against them, we got attacked and had to defend ourselves¨

¨And by that you mean staying behind your girlfriend, right?¨ The couple chuckled but Ren did nothing but to groan.

¨In any case… there were two key things apparently¨

¨Apparently? Weren't you there?¨

¨Well… yeah but… I can't remember most of it, everything I'm saying is either returning to my memories or Riven told me. Anyway, one of those key things is that there was another Star Guardian team.

Taliyah's eyes widened, this meant a lot of things for her since not only it would be interesting to follow a second team but it meant that Sophie had allies ¨Did you recognize any of them?¨

¨No, but all I can say is their leader was a fox…girl, literally¨

Ekko's eyes deviated from the president as he saw someone coming from the main camp ¨Well look who it is…¨ Everyone turned and saw the vice of the club wearing a sleeveless shirt along with some sports pants and flip flops ¨Where have you been the entire day?¨

¨Just…¨ Ezreal yawned, his eyes did show he recently woke up ¨Doing stuff here and there¨ He turned to his friend and smiled ¨How's your arm?¨

¨Your arm?¨ The couple frowned and turned their gaze on Reginald.

¨Yeah, the… uh… other key point from yesterday's event¨ He raised his arm and showed the other three people the spots that seemed infected ¨Riven told me I got bitten by some monster and I am poisoned. The guardians saved me but I still have that poison or whatever it is¨

¨Hope it's not contagious¨ Taliyah kept her vision on the arm, it looked weird especially since those small veins coming from the spots seemed like moving on its own, like worms on the dirt.

¨Wait a minute¨ Ekko decided to catch the attention of the other three club members ¨Ez you've been missing the whole day, how is it that you knew about Ren's arm before us?¨ He turned to the president ¨Did _you_ tell him?¨

¨I… uh… got told by Riven, yeah… found her on the way here and asked how was yesterday¨ Even though Ezreal had a perfect excuse none of the other three club members fully believed him.

¨Anyway the day is still young and we have a long one ahead of us, let's get breakfast and plan on what we can do!¨ Reginald said happily, now that everyone was there he wanted ot make the most out of it.

¨Uh… I can't¨ Everyone turned to the blond once again ¨I'm leaving today¨

¨What?!¨ Ekko, Ren and Taliyah yelled at the same time.

¨I have things to do and I'm needed at home as soon as possible¨

¨Did… did something happen?¨ Taliyah asked with a worried tone in her voice.

¨It's nothing, but… I'm needed back in the city. Hope you can understand, yes?¨ He waved and started to walk away ¨We still have one more week before going back to the academy, we can plan something!¨ He yelled on those last words as he finally left.

The club members did nothing but to sigh, they wanted to spend some time with the vice president but there was nothing they could do. Without much planning done the three of them went to the dining hall to get some breakfast.

…

Sophie arrived at the dining hall and before getting food she tried to find her fellow guardians. Everyone but Lux was sitting near one of the corners, none of them talking and just focusing on their food. As she got closer she noticed how no one seemed to be doing anything, not even Jinx who had a full plate in front of her was eating and just poking at the meal with her fork.

¨Hey Sophie¨ The guardians greeted her fellow companion who sat at the side of the marksman ¨How's Lux?¨

¨Still asleep, however Ahri wanted to talk to her¨

¨Ahri?!¨

The entirety of the group walked outside and to a place where no one could hear them; Soph explained to them the story about the new Star Guardian and they were surprised in a similar way, some of them angry.

¨I can't believe that girl is one of us!¨ Jinx roared, stomping a nearby flower ¨She does not have what it takes to be one¨

¨That's what I always said about you and here we are¨ Poppy countered, even if she wasn't as expressive as Jinx she was also angered about not only Ahri but the new team ¨So the fact that no monsters appeared was because they took care of it¨

¨Maybe they aren't that bad, they helped us yesterday and even tried to protect Riven and Sophie's friend¨ Lulu tried to see the bright side of things all the time, there was no doubt the fight from yesterday was a victory even though Lux and Reginald ended up injured.

¨Anything else she told you?¨

¨Uh…¨ Sophie narrated the whole story but never mentioned the part where the fox girl tried to recruit her for the other team. She knew that keeping that a secret from her team was not good but at the same time the guardian knew that Ahri was right, her priorities as a Star Guardian came first before her friends ¨Nothing… she wanted to talk with Lux so I let her go¨

¨And she did…¨ The group turned to see the blonde behind them, her happy demeanor was not there, instead it took a more serious approach ¨Ahri told me the truth, the team we saw yesterday it was hers and she is the leader¨

¨Of course she is! Her ego alone lets her do whatever she wants¨ Jinx grunted, leaning on the wall as she crossed her arms ¨I refuse to believe the First Star was sane enough to choose her¨

¨We'll have to deal with it. They are leaving the camp today to protect the city, we on the other hand are going to stay here¨ Lux's decision was certainly controversial when more than one of the guardians didn't agree on that.

¨Wait, why are they going and we are not?¨ The dark haired girl frowned, remembering what Ahri said last time.

¨We need some time… besides if they are there on the city we'll make sure no more monsters appear on the camp, some may have appeared yesterday but we aren't certain if tonight more will come¨ Lux sighed and turned her sapphire eyes towards the mentor ¨Janna, you were quiet this entire time, is it something related about yesterday?¨

¨Yes…¨ Janna took a step back so she could have a better view of the rest of the team ¨I already Lux yesterday and the rest of the team at the dining hall so everyone knows about my past. There is no doubt that Syndra's appearance is… unnerving, at least for me, the person who betrayed my team and sided with the Dark Star walking on this world and in the same place as we are… I don't like it¨

¨But if she betrayed you why is she helping the other team? Why is the fighting against the monsters?¨ The leader asked, knowing how Syndra's performance yesterday was a sign that she worked along with Ahri's team and with almost perfect efficiency.

¨I do not know but that is not the only thing that kept me up at night, it is Ahri…¨ Everyone was confused already ¨Remember when I mentioned there were two… baby stars still around? Well now I know where one of those is, the one from Larisha¨

¨Wait you are not implying what I'm thinking¨ Poppy had an idea of what was coming, but she prayed that it was not true.

¨I do, the star Larisha and I created came to Earth and is now walking among us, that means Ahri is that `baby star´, she is a pure Star Guardian, same as Syndra or me¨

¨So that means Ahri alone is stronger than any of us?¨ Jinx was getting angrier as time went on ¨This is stupid, this is SO stupid!¨

¨Calm down Jinx¨ Lulu grabbed from inside of her bag a cupcake and showed it to the rebel ¨Here, it will make you happy¨ But the cyan haired girl immediately grabbed the sweet treat and threw it towards the lake in a desperate attempt to sate her anger.

¨Jinx!¨

¨What?! Unless you want me and go punch Ahri in the nose I need to take away my anger somehow¨

¨Jinx, you made Lulu sad¨ Janna pointed out at the Yordle who seemed like she was ready to cry.

¨So what?! There are more important things to be worried about right now than a stupid cupcake!¨ That was the last straw that made Lulu cry. The little one ran away and Poppy had to follow her just so the girl wouldn't hurt herself to wherever she was going.

¨Very mature Jinx¨ Lux was not happy either with her friend's attitude as she shook her head in disapproval.

¨Very mature?! **You** are the one who is telling us to stay here when we should be out there in the city fighting monsters left and right and not just sitting here doing nothing!¨

¨So it's my fault a new team appeared and they seem to be doing better than us?!¨ The leader grunted and turned away, stomping on her way back to the guardians' camp.

¨Yeah go away! Come back when you can make better decisions¨ Jinx yelled at her _friend_ and saw how Janna was walking away ¨Wait old lady, you can't leave us!¨ But the blonde did not say anything, instead she left without any more words ¨This is my fault? Of course it's not my fault. You got my back Soph?¨ Jinx looked at the last remaining guardian, waiting for someone to back her up.

¨I… I do but… things are going too fast. We need a moment to think, yes?¨

¨Come on Soph, you can't do this¨ And the guardian started to walk away, leaving Jinx alone to her own ¨You can't… I need you… I need you all…¨ The girl remained silent after that, sitting on a small tree stump that was nearby, getting her legs closer to the chest and hugging them; this was a low point for the team and all because a new group appeared to save the day.

* * *

 **Ahri and her team managed to break the Star Guardians for now, they will have to gather their stuff and plan accordingly now that there is a new group in town. Things will get rough but I promise there's a silver lining out of all this, in due time that is.**

 **For now Soph and her friends will have to recover from this.**

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter, soon vacations will start and I'll have more time to update the stories. Also this monday we'll have a teaser for this new `colorful mage´ that Riot mentioned a long time ago, people say it's ionian, some others that it's from Shuriman and some others that it is a vastayan; in any case I may or may not be afraid of how it might end, it's an invisible champion and the last one that was released was Akali with her rework.**

 **Let's not ramble anymore about this shall we? Don't forget to follow, fav and review, anything is appreciated. This was Tourvelix to remind you that the last day to earn tokens from Worlds is the 19th and the whole Worlds/Halloween/KDA event ends on December 3rd so don't forget to spend those tokens.**

 **WIth that piece of wisdom I bid farewell as I try new games but not before this big finale:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	58. Chapter 58

It took a while and the Star Guardian were still split up, however it was Sophie who returned with Jinx after the latter sent a message to meet her by the lake because she had an idea. Without knowing much about it the girl decided to return to the center of the camp and then to the lake where she saw Jinx' head, sitting on a bench.

¨There you are¨ Jinx was not looking happy after what happened earlier but she needed someone to talk ¨Please sit, there is something we need to discuss¨

¨Jinx… I haven't seen you this serious, not ever since I joined the team¨ Sophie walked and sat at the side of the rebel ¨You sent a message talking about an idea, now, what is it?¨

¨We all know this is not going well, this new team coming out of the blue, one of those members being form the old lady's former team, Ahri being a Star Guardian and especially she being the `daughter´ of a pure guardian¨ The student was fiddling with her fingers, her eyes still focusing on the lake ¨This seems iffy… something is not quite right, don't you think?¨

¨It all seems very convenient, it's true but… maybe we are overthinking it? Sure it might be a bit weird that Syndra, the person who betrayed Janna's team is here in this very camp and along with a different team, but what happened yesterday? She fought against those monsters and even Ahri and the other two did very well… I don't know, we need more information¨

¨And that is exactly why I called you here¨ Sophie raised one brow, confused as to what was Jinx planning ¨Ahri talked to you yesterday, so it means she trusts you in a way, so…¨ She dragged that last `O´ for a bit ¨You join her team to find their true motives¨

¨What?!¨ The guardian immediately stood up, she was scared that the bit she didn't mention about her conversation with Ahri was not so secret as she expected and Jinx knew ¨H-how can you even suggest that?! I am no traitor, I like being with you… the team I mean¨

¨Soph, listen!¨ Jinx also stood up and grabbed her friend's hands ¨It won't be treason if you are doing it with the intention of discovering their plans, yes? Besides the end-goal in a way would be to eliminate more monsters from the Dark Star so it doesn't matter in which team you are¨

¨And why… uh… what do you think the others would say?¨

¨We'll have to keep it a secret between us, if they are in the know then they might spill the plan, I don't trust Lulu's mouth¨ Jinx looked around, seeing if there was someone spying on them, whether it was from their own team or the rival ¨In any case…¨ She focused back on the guardian ¨You'll have to play your part and I'll do mine, the sooner you get results the faster we can act¨

¨What are you going to do?¨

¨Remain silent, whatever you find out you tell me and I'll relay it to the team somehow. So from now on you are expelled from the team¨ There was silence and a lot of awkwardness, no one dared to talk even though Jinx knew her mistake.

¨You do know I'm still going to be part of Lux's team, right? Like I won't be _expelled_ or _exiled_ or any harsh words that you probably thought, right?¨

¨Yeah… I do make mistakes… _sometimes_. But seriously, do not speak of this to anyone. Ok?¨ Jinx looked back at the camp, there were more people walking around as they were starting to get up ¨Let's split up, we'll communicate through our phones¨ And with that the rebel left, trying to leave no trace of her presence near the lake (even though a small trail of destruction was left before Sophie even arrived as a tantrum from the discussion from before)

…

It was almost noon, the guardians reunited again but without Sophie who had the excuse of `needed somewhere else´. She had to wait until the camp was over to meet with Ahri and discuss her entrance to the new team, but before that time comes she needed to explain the whole situation to someone who could also inform the investigation club.

¨Do you know anything about a second team?¨ The moment Taliyah met Sophie there was no greetings or anything similar, just that question.

¨Uh… I'm… good day Tali¨

¨Ren and Riven told us there was another team yesterday and that you were there too, well not _you,_ the original team¨ The club member walked back and forth ¨It was all calm and now monsters appeared, there's another team and Ezreal seems to be bonding more with Ahri¨

¨Ezreal bonding with Ahri?¨ This part was mostly confusing, was something happening between him and Lux? ¨What do you mean?¨

¨He's not with us, as in… ever since the camp started he's been with Ahri, he's on their camp zone, doing activities together and he's even going to leave today¨

¨Leave today?!¨ While it might not seem anything at a simple glance she remembered that Ahri was going to leave that same day ¨So that means…¨

¨Anyway, about the other team¨

¨It's Ahri, an old member of Janna's team and apparently Ezreal¨

¨Wait wait wait¨ Taliyah raised her hands ¨Did you just say **Ahri**? **The** Ahri that is the most popular girl at school? **The** Ahri that has a blog to find everything about the guardians? **The** Ahri that hates you?¨

¨Well she hates me no more but… yeah, she's a guardian now¨

¨ _ **WHAT?!**_ ¨ The girl's outburst was even more impressive than Jinx'. She started to stomp the ground, grabbing a few pebbles and throwing them in the direction of the lake while at the same time yelling insults at nothing in particular ¨HOW. IS. SHE. A. STAR. GUARDIAN?!¨

¨Tali, calm down, please¨ Sophie held her friend by the shoulders to try to calm her down ¨Jinx did the same… probably even more calm. But listen, I know how you feel and trust me, it is better if you let it go because not a single person knows the reasoning as to why the First Star chose her¨

¨It should've been me!¨

¨Wha-¨

¨Look at me Sophie, I'm a good person, I do good actions, I even help the team. I _deserve_ to be a Star Guardian. What do I need to do to become one?¨

¨It's not… to be honest…¨ There were no words, clearly Taliyah was both pissed and sad, she managed to understand eventually how Jinx became a guardian but Ahri was a whole different business ¨You know that if it were my decision you would be a guardian, you do seem fit for the job but… maybe the First Star has something in mind? There's always a reason why guardians were chosen¨

¨I guess…¨ She crossed her arms, still pissed at the new information ¨So… this Syndra, is the same one you told me before the camp, right?¨ The dark haired nodded ¨Wasn't she a traitor or something?¨

¨She was which is the most confusing part of all of this. She was fighting yesterday against those monsters and… the point is: Jinx had a plan for me to infiltrate into their team to find out the reason of their appearance¨

¨Wait, Jinx had a plan? Out of all the people?!¨

¨I know it sounds- Wait you question her having a plan but not the plan in itself?¨

¨I mean someone has to get information out of it; if you manage to get some you can tell me and I can tell them to the club, I'm pretty sure Ren would be _very_ interested with this second team¨ The girl chuckled on that last part ¨Anyway, whenever you find something just… tell me… and if you can do hit Ahri on my behalf, I can't believe she is a Star Guardian¨ Without saying anything else the student turned around and left.

¨Wait but… I didn't even tell you… the story¨ Sophie was even more confused, but there was nothing else to do. The camp was a failure and the next year at the academy would be more than interesting, probably more than she would've expected in the first place.

* * *

 **And this concludes the Summer Camp sub-arc, next up will be the first day of the academy which will bring a lot of starts for both sides and with the addition of the new team... well, it will be interesting.**

* * *

 **ComradeBill:** _very intense_

 **And this was just the first of those, as the chapters go on the tension between both teams will be bigger and some fights will be ensured :)**

* * *

 **This has been a week for me, exams and some stuff here and there. I know it's Thanksgiving in the US so happy celebrations for all the american readers!**

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter and don't forget to follow, fav and review! I doubt I'll post another chapter this week so you better look up for the next one.**

 **This was Tourvelix to remind you that the new season starts in January but this thing ends right now as I say:  
**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	59. Chapter 59

The weekend has passed, the summer camp was over and everyone returned to their homes. After the events of the battle Ren got back to the city but nothing seemed different for him, the markings on his arm remained like small spots that often itched. He tried to contact with the rest of the club but both Taliyah and Ekko were on their own date, Ezreal was missing and he didn't even consider talking to Talon or Quinn; the only person remaining to talk was Riven who after she told him not to bother during the whole week.

With that request the couple ended up meeting on the weekend on Riven's home. Ren had the chance to meet her parents but not for long since the white haired dragged him to the girl's bedroom. As they entered Riven closed and locked the door, what she wanted to do was not for her parents to know or see.

¨Nice room you have here Riv¨ Reginald was looking all around, not even noticing what his girlfriend did ¨One day I'll present you to my parents, they are eager to know you… and I guess I can show you my room too…¨ He turned to focus his eyes on the white haired, she was still by the door and holding the key to it in her hands ¨Did you lock the door? What… something's wrong?¨

¨I need you to remain quiet, I don't know my parents or anyone else know about this, what we're going to talk or do in this very room won't be spoken outside, ok?¨ The words that came out of Riven's mouth did make Reginald nervous, his first thought was about the relationship, his cheeks flushed red ¨Wait, no no no, you are such a pervert!¨

¨What? Riv, no! I'm not thinking about that! Well… m-maybe I was but it was entirely your fault!´

¨Seriously?!¨ They raised their tones, making the `quiet´ part completely impossible ¨How is it my fault you have a pervert mind?!¨

¨I-I-I mean have you heard what you said before? The `what we do here won't be spoken outside´¨ He said trying to imitate Riven's voice ¨What else am I supposed to be thinking? A murder?¨

¨No you fool! I mean…¨ She grunted, walking to the desk and opened one of the drawers, pulling a piece of cloth covering something inside ¨This is the thing I wanted you to keep silent about¨

¨A piece of cloth?¨

Riven sighed and place said item on the table, she opened the cloth and revealed a knife that had one particular characteristic: The blade was broken.

¨What's this?¨

¨As if it wasn't that obvious… it's a knife made out of pieces of my blade, I made it for you¨

¨Wait, your blade? How? You aren't transformed, aren't you?¨ Ren looked with confusion, he recognized the style of the weapon and was able to tie it to the ASG's sword, however every time she returned back to normal the blade would disappear leaving no trace.

¨That is the same thing I asked myself back in the camp. I broke down the blade after the fight and the bits were still there so I picked them up and tried to make something for you¨

¨As a gift?¨

¨More like a reminder¨ The president tilted his head after hearing that ¨Ren… there's so much I can do, what happened over the weekend… I felt devastated when you got injured, I thought I would lose you¨ She sat on the bed, looking at her feet as if she was ashamed ¨I fear worse times are coming, that second Star Guardian team might be an indication that there are more problems underway, we should let the guardians do their work but I know you… you go deeper into the situation, trying to get the best information while being in the middle of the action and you must know that I won't be there to help you¨

¨I'll be fine, I promise¨

¨Your promise will get you killed if you aren't careful¨ Riven grabbed her boyfriend's hands and looked at him, the ruby-colored eyes centered on the dark ones from the president ¨Ren, I'm being serious, take the dagger, let me teach you how to defend yourself¨

¨I… ok¨ He was about to turn to grab the knife but Riven held him tighter.

¨Promise me that you will use it to defend yourself from the creatures, not as a weapon to hurt someone¨ Her fingers were digging deeper into Ren's wrists, she was being serious and even the president felt how hurt she was when he got injured.

¨I do… I promise I will be using it for self defense¨ She let go of his wrists and stood up so they could both see the blade in action.

Reginald extended his right hand and allowed his fingertips to touch the blade. To his surprise the metal hummed the moment there was a slight contact and the weapon vibrated. The couple looked at each other and the next thing Ren did was grab the knife; it was lightweight and easy to use, for him everything seemed normal but for Riven it was not, her eyes focused on the boy's arm since the spots were emitting an unnatural glow.

¨Ren… are you feeling… strange?¨

¨No…¨ He moved the weapon from one hand to the other and surprisingly the shining spots stopped with their mysterious glow ¨What? Anything wrong?¨ The brown haired returned the knife back to the right hand but this time there was no glow or anything mysterious.

¨Just…¨ Riven shook her head, that must've been her mind playing tricks on her ¨Show me how you would hold your weapon¨ His next movement was raise his arm and aim the sharp end downward as if he was going to stab someone in the head ¨No, as much as you would like that, the movie-killer style is not the most effective way. Here, let me show you¨ Riven walked behind the president and held his arms, positioning them to follow a more appropriate stance ¨Spread your legs a bit more, you must be completely aware of your surroundings when defending yourself, and considering how those things attack you must not discard an attack from the back¨

¨Like this?¨ The warrior stepped back and managed to copy the stance she tried to make him do ¨I feel… uncomfortable¨

¨You better get used to it, fighting is not always about being comfortable but how you can move without getting hit or killed¨ She moved in front of him and adopted an almost similar stance ¨Alright, try to stab me¨

¨What?! I'm not going to stab you!¨

¨If you don't go in then I will do it. You either attack or defend¨

¨But a minute ago you made me promise I won't use this to hurt!¨

¨DO IT!¨ Riven raised her tone and Ren did nothing but to move forward, trying to stab his girlfriend but unfortunately for him she had far more training and she was able to disarm him as well as push the president to the ground ¨Too slow, you need to improve on your reflexes¨

¨How about you give me some advantage?¨ He grunted, his back was full of pain ¨I think I broke a bone¨

¨Did you?¨ She grabbed him by the arm and put him on the bed ¨How about now? Is the princess finally happy with a more soft surface?¨

¨Hey, I'm being serious right here! You can't just do that attempt of murder to me¨

¨Relax¨ She leaned forward to leave a kiss on his forehead ¨I was not even using my full strength. Come on, you still have long ways to go, and with classes starting soon you better get ready¨ Ren stood from the bed and Riven went back to the same position she was before ¨Alright back from the beginning, adopt stance and then try to stab me¨

* * *

 **And so the next chapter marks the beginning of the new year at the academy! This will be fun but for now some more Ren and Riven, along with couple of misteries here and there; don't worry, they'll get answered in due time, but for now, just that: Mysteries.**

* * *

 **MilliLilly:** _Aaaaah! I love Shisaaaa she's so grumpy cx_

 **Glad you liked the iteration of Shisa even though the pajama story didn't show the familiar as the always-grumpy creature.**

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to follow, fav and review. I'll see if I can push up a new chapter this weekend.**

 **This was Tourvelix to remind you that next week Neeko will be available, I'm still thinking that hyping up that Champion for months and we got the non-recognized cousing of LeBlanc's kit.**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	60. Chapter 60

Vacations were over, the academy opened its doors and all of the students started to walk towards the courtyard. There were many sad faces because they won't have free time again but there were others who were happy as they could finally meet with their fellow students once again. Much like last year there was a small presentation by the principal who looked as grim as usual, he welcomed all the newcomers as well as the returning ones but did not give a long speech as he wanted all the young people to go to their classrooms immediately.

The weekend before the first day all of the students were given a schedule with all the classes they had that year as well as the classroom.

Sophie was lucky since Taliyah, Lux and Poppy were with her while Lulu and Jinx were sent to two different classrooms; Janna was still a year above the rest of the team and she would never be able to share classes with them. However, the guardian was not only with friends, as Ezreal was also part of her class.

As for Reginald he didn't have the best of times since the only person he knew was Ekko, the rest were either new students or some that he still never talked to. Riven was in a different class along with Katarina and Ahri, he kept receiving texts the whole first period about how she would hate the rest of the year if she had to group up with the popular girl.

The first two periods passed and it was time for the recess, Soph kept sending messages with Jinx about the plan of talking to the leader of the other team and while the former still tried to convince the rebel that it was a bad idea, the cyan haired would hear nothing about the girl's opinion. Eventually this one was the one that pushed the support of the team out of the classroom and into the courtyard so she could meet with the popular student.

¨There she is¨ The guardians were looking at Ahri from afar, this last one was talking to a lot more people however they noticed that the attitude that the girl had last year changed and it wasn't as egotistical as they remembered ¨All her posse of people following her every word¨ Jinx' words had venom in them, she hated the pink haired with all her fury and anger but she also knew that in order for the plan to work she _needed_ to remain calm ¨Can't believe they were doing our work during vacations. Don't they know who we are?¨

¨They've been doing a good job… Jinx, do I still need to do this?¨

¨Do you want something to happen like last time? Kat seemed like a good person doing the work with her people, next thing? We are at war¨ The marksman sighed ¨I don't trust Ahri, and I don't trust that Syndra girl either so we need our insider, that is you, to gather as much information as possible and if they are doing something bad then stop them¨

¨What if they are actually doing good stuff? Like, they have the same objectives as we do¨

¨So everything we did so far would be for nothing? The First Star would be disappointed in us. Besides Syndra betrayed the old lady, ain't that suspicious enough for you?¨

¨I… I guess…¨

¨Then go out there and tell Ahri your proposition!¨ Jinx pushed Sophie away and saw how her _friend_ walked towards the popular girl.

This was a complicated task, infiltrating into the team and trying to get information seemed easy but in reality it could be something impossible, even fighting the Dark Star could be simpler than what she was going to be doing. As she got closer to this big group of people the eyes of Ahri focused on the student that recently arrived and thus the rest of the `followers´ of the popular girl decided to look at Sophie too.

¨Yes?¨

¨Um… Ahri, I… I need to talk to you¨ Sophie looked at the rest and then back at the guardian ¨In private, if possible¨

¨Alright everyone, I'll talk to all of you later, I need to get this done¨ The whole group started to leave but both Ahri and Soph decided to go on a different direction, most specifically where no other student was ¨I suppose you want to talk to me about a delicate topic¨

¨I've been thinking about what you told me back at the camp and…¨ Sophie sighed, she knew the next words would mean a lot for her and the other team, but she also wanted Lux's group to understand in case they saw her fighting with Ahri ¨I accept¨

¨You don't sound too happy about it¨

¨How would you feel if I have to abandon my team, my friends just to join another one?¨

¨That is not the right way of seeing things, Sophie. We all have the same goal which is fighting against the Dark Star, do not see it as abandoning your friends, think of it as working towards saving everyone¨ Ahri placed a hand on the guardian's shoulder ¨If anything they should feel proud that you still want to fight against our true enemy, if they join then it will be better but by the looks of it they are still… recovering¨

¨To be honest the battle against Kat and her team took a big toll on us, we've seen things… bad ones¨

¨It's alright. We're all here to stop those things from happening again…¨ Ahri looked at the courtyard, almost concerned about the troubles that are brewing with the monsters ¨We have to do it… to protect our friends and family, all the people… they are worth fighting for¨

¨I know…¨

¨Now if you excuse me Sophie, we need to return to the classroom, I shall contact you when we are going to meet and of course to get to know your new teammates¨ Ahri smiled and walked back as all the students were returning to the classrooms.

Sophie on the other hand took a few steps back to the courtyard, her eyes deviated from the whole horde of students and saw the cyan haired looking back at her. They nodded each other and went their own ways. The first step was done.

…

As the fourth period started Janna had to go to the chemistry lab, she had the whole table for herself and started taking some notes from one of the books the professor gave. The students were talking to each other until a new one got into the classroom.

¨Hello, may I help you?¨

¨Sorry professor, I had issues and arrived late at the academy¨

¨On your first day?¨ He sighed ¨Very well, you're forgiven but this will be the only time. You should go sit where Miss Windforce is, the blonde girl over there¨ The professor pointed at the seat at the side of Janna.

The guardian was not paying attention until she finished writing her notes. With a smile on her face she turned to face her new deskmate.

¨Hello, I am Jan-¨ But her words were cut by herself, the blue eyes from the girl showed fear that was slowly building up into anger.

In front of her was a person wearing the uniform of the academy, her dark purple hair allowed to reach her waist and it also helped to cover half of her face. She had an evil grin and frowned since the two of them knew each other ¨Hello Janna¨ The guardian moved some strands of her hair allowing to reveal the other half of the face, it had nothing special except for the eyes, one of them was purple while the other one yellow, like gold; clearly the latter was not the one she had and generated more questions than answers to the blonde ¨It is nice that we be together in this class… and the next ones for the whole rest of the year because I _do_ want to talk to you¨

* * *

 **And so all classes are determined with Janna reuniting with her old teammate, but don't worry they will have the whole year to talk :)**

* * *

 **ComradeBill:** _I wonder which champion Renigald is supposed to be,_

 **Interesting approach you have on it, be sure to have an eye on Ren as chapters go on.**

* * *

 **Well a new starts soon, I was busy so I couldn't even write more chapters. Finally finished RDR2 and it left a small empty spot in me, as if I completed the game I've been waiting for quite a while (Even before it was announced as I was hoping for a new game in the Red Dead franchise would get released)**

 **So this week we'll have Neeko... that thing is weird but hey, her and the Christmas skins are not of my interest. However a Rioter mentioned that Demacia was going to have a shake-up or something similar which could point to the new Champion (some person with chains and in a demacian place) or Morgana and Kayle since they appear as part of Demacia in the interactive map.**

 **Anyway I should go to bed, I'm tired and this week got some finals. Until then this was Tourvelix hoping that you enjoyed the chapter and as such you shoulnd't forget to fav, follow and review, and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	61. Chapter 61

The day was almost over, two more periods left and Ren could go home, however he was still stuck at the cafeteria trying to finish his lunch. Unlike the last year, he was alone this time so a quick meal and then back to the classroom.

After eating everything on his plate, the president stood up and started to walk towards the courtyard just to find himself with a familiar face, Caitlyn.

¨Leaving so soon?¨

¨Nothing else to do, I'm going back to class¨

¨There is something you can do¨ Ren raised one of his brows ¨There is something I need to talk to you about clubs because I've noticed you submitted yours earlier¨

¨I did?¨ At first he remembered not applying the Investigation Club just yet but then an old idea came back, about how the principal _forced_ him to continue with the club ¨Oh yeah, I remember now! My mind is still stuck on vacation¨

¨Well you better put it to work because you have to prepare a lot more things now. Please accompany me¨ The fourth year student made a gesture with her hand telling the other kid to walk along with her ¨As you know since you are in third year you can make your own club without someone else to vouch for you, however the rules are still the same: You need a certain amount of members and show that you club is having activity¨

¨That should be easy, we haven't lost any members, I even think we can add one¨

¨Those are wonderful news but have you also checked that you need more people?¨ This put some more confusion into the president ¨There is a new rule that the minimum amount of people for a club to be active has been increased and thus you must find more members¨

¨How am I supposed to do that then?¨

¨Glad that you asked¨ From one of the pockets of her shirt, the student pulled a small paper with instructions ¨As you probably remember from last year due to… _interesting_ events the club day was cancelled. If there are no problems then it will proceed as usual which means that you and your club must present yourselves to the public¨

¨Is it really mandatory?¨

¨Unless you want your club closed then yes¨ Caitlyn noticed how the younger person groaned ¨Considering how things were going lately, I would doubt if no one joined your club, after all the Star Guardians earned quite the reputation before the vacations¨

¨They are still heroes, you know?¨

¨I am not implying anything! All I am saying is that the Star Guardians were quite active and thus you might see more members this year, after all the amount of students that arrived is bigger than other years¨

¨Alright… uh… that's… good to know?¨ He wanted to finish the conversation so he could return to the classroom but unfortunately the girl would still spewing out words and even if he wanted to shout at her to stop talking he knew it would be excessive; maybe the right thing but still excessive.

¨That should be everything- oh wait, there will be many events that your club can participate; call it something to keep the clubs alive or even to bring in new members. You'll know more about them as soon as the time comes¨

¨Is that all? Anything else I need to know?¨ Ren was getting impatient and even the fourth year noticed it.

¨No…but maybe you could try being more polite to others? One is trying to help and you show disrespect? That is not the way of a club president¨ Un-amused by his actions, Caitlyn turned around and left, disappointed at Ren.

¨Alright, time to go back to the class-¨ Before he could continue a blond head appeared behind him, one that he hasn't seen in a while ¨What do you want?¨

¨I'm just coming if there is something I can help you with¨ Ezreal smiled, he knew that he abandoned his friend and club members for a while now ¨I see Caitlyn found you¨

¨You told her to find _me_?¨

¨Actually she wanted to find you because of some club business, now that you… left a good impression on her we can talk¨ Ren shrugged ¨Anyway you got some time after classes, there is something we need to talk about…¨

¨Don't tell me you are leaving the club…¨

¨What? No! I may have spent time with Ahri during the camp but that doesn't mean I'll abandon you all¨

¨Really? Because you leaving the camp early for whatever reason made us think you put us aside¨

¨Ren, listen, I will not abandon you, you are my friend and as such I trust you and I hope you trust me as well¨

¨I… I guess¨ He groaned, the last thing he wanted was to break his friendship with Ezreal and thus losing another member to the club ¨So what is that thing you need to talk about?¨

¨Meet me on the rooftop of the main building after class, bring **no one** , not even Taliyah, ok?¨

¨Alright, but it better be worth it¨

…

With the last period finished Ren walked to the rooftop only to find himself alone up there; from that place he saw the students walking in the courtyard and leaving the academy just to return the next day.

¨Tomorrow I'll kill that son of a-¨ But the sound of the door opening and the blond coming in was more than enough to interrupt his words ¨Alright, I am curious¨

¨Sorry, Lux wanted to talk to me hence why I couldn't come early¨ Ezreal cleared his throat ¨Alright so let's talk about some context behind this, remember the last day on our previous year? The day after the big battle?¨

¨How could I forget? Pretty sure none of us could¨

¨Well, on that same day Ahri said she had a book from me, turns out she didn't and instead offered me something¨ Reginald frowned after seeing that his friend opened his bag, from inside a white-blue creature with wings came out ¨That something was a world I could never imagine¨

¨What is that thing?!¨ The _thing_ flew around the two students until it landed on Ezreal's hands so he could show what it was to his friend ¨It's… a bird?¨

¨The correct term would be familiar, because… I am a Star Guardian¨ There was silence for a moment between the two of them, the small creature tilted its head while looking at the president ¨Uh… Ren?¨ But he nodded ¨You… agree?¨

¨You know that if you want to prove me something you gotta bring me proof, and while that bird is… cute I suppose, you saying that you are a guardian does not count as proof¨ Ren crossed his arms; deep inside his mind he knew he wanted to believe him but at the same time he felt that he was getting pranked.

¨Fair enough, stand back¨ Ren did as told and Ezreal pulled raised his arm; from his wrist a small star appeared that later transformed into a gauntlet and from that point the student started to shine in green-white colors. After a few seconds the person that was in front of Reginald changed, he was no longer wearing the academy's uniform, instead he was using a white and blue outfit with a four-point blue star in his chest; the hair didn't change that much except that the tips were green and had a pair of goggles. The gauntlet also evolved and it looked more like a bow ¨Is this enough proof to you?¨

¨You… I…¨ There were no words that could describe how Ren was feeling, except that there was a burning question that he needed to let out ¨I thought all Star Guardians were women¨

¨So did I! I mean… between you and I during my first transformation… uh… something… happened¨ Ezreal looked away, embarrassed as he remembered that moment ¨So I was told that male guardians existed but… my source of power came from a female one… and it turns out it took some time for my outfit to change to how you see it now¨ His friend couldn't stop laughing after hearing that ¨Stop! It is not funny!¨

¨Oh imagine this, you saving us from the monsters while wearing… what? A dress? Maybe your charms will convince them to fight against each other¨

¨I do not cross dress!¨ Ezreal sighed and made the gauntlet shine again, thus finishing his transformation and returning to his normal self ¨Ren I need you to keep quiet about it, because even though Ahri wouldn't mind if I tell someone about it, I'd like to keep it a secret from Lux, at least for now¨

¨Wait, Ahri? Is she your leader? _The_ Ahri that has a blog on Star Guardians?¨ The president chuckled, walking towards the edge of the rooftop to see how most of the students already left ¨This is some sort of joke¨

¨Imagine me when I found out about it¨

¨Yeah but you are… nevermind, your secret is safe with me¨

¨Thanks Ren…¨ The two of them smiled and started to go back to the rooftop's door ¨But just because I'm a guardian it doesn't mean I'll resign as vice president, in fact you should be getting some more information¨

¨As long as you can tell me about who the original team is I'll be happy… and also here's hoping you don't go fighting in a dress¨

¨Shut up!¨

* * *

 **So this chapter was partially written but last week was not a good one due to some things that happened but we gotta learn to move forward.**

 **With Ren now knowing his best friend is a guardian and of course the new rules to clubs he needs to work on the latter, maybe even use Ezreal as promotion.**

* * *

 **I'll probably stop here and work on Heroes & Legends; want to have some chapters before the year ends. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to fav, follow and review, I'll be extra happy if you do and I'll answer to any questions.**

 **Also I have a Discord server with a lot of people from FanFiction (whether its readers of writers): discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot shoudl be replaced with a . ) feel free to join and talk, we are all good people :D**

 **That being said this was Tourvelix to remind you that Christmas is right around the corner. I'll probably update with one last chapter before 2019 so until then, I'll say goodbye for now and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	62. Chapter 62

As the first day was getting to an end all of the students were away from the academy but some still remained on the streets and Sophie was one of them; she sat on one of the benches in the park and looked around, waiting for the interesting people to show up. She was about to leave since the sun was setting and only very few people were walking around and being alone in the dark was not a good idea for a girl like her, especially with the Dark Star summoning creatures anywhere.

¨At least Jinx and the others were punctual when they said to meet a certain time¨ She huffed, crossing her arms because there was nothing else she could do.

From behind a group of four people came, all of them looking at the guardian and inspecting her as if it were something weird. However the leader was the one who took a step to start the conversation.

¨Glad you could make it, Sophie¨

¨Huh?¨ The girl immediately stood up and saw who they were. She knew two of those but the other two were a complete mystery, sort of ¨I was about to leave, don't you think half an hour is a bit late from when you said we would meet?¨

¨I was busy, so was the rest of the team¨

¨Not me, I was chilling at home¨ Ezreal said happily but in response he got hit in the ribs by the red haired woman ¨I was chilling, I swear!¨

¨Ahri, the idiot is right. We could be chilling at our homes and do something more important but you needed us to meet at this hour¨

¨Thirty minutes ago to be honest¨ Sophie once again spoke up, showing that the new team didn't' show any kind of politeness after showing up late.

¨I called you here so you could meet the rest of the team. There is no doubt you know our star boy here, Ezreal¨

¨I have so much questions right now… does Lux know?¨

¨She… uh… not yet, I'm still thinking a way to tell her this because you and I know how she would react if one day I show up and say `Hey sweetheart, did you know I'm a Star Guardian?´¨ The blond tried to imitate the voice of his girlfriend although with little to no success ¨In any case, I'll tell her eventually, hope she understands¨

¨Let's move on shall we?¨ Ahri continued with the presentation and moved on to the already-pissed girl who was frowning at the mere presence of the new member of the team ¨This is Sarah, a great friend and a powerful marksman¨

¨Hi Sarah, nice to meet you!¨ The heartwarming smile from Sophie was not enough to make the girl happy, instead she seemed to be even more pissed.

¨It's Fortune… Miss Fortune. Only friends call me by my name¨

¨Oh Sarah, I haven't see you do anything to me for calling you like that?¨ The sassy words from the last member did nothing but to increase the anger levels from the girl.

¨I don't mind transforming right here and showing you a lesson of what I can do to those who try to test their luck¨ Fortune gave a cocky smile, holding the necklace with a hand as she prepared for a possible fight with her teammate.

¨Uh... do they fight like that all the time?¨ Soph was confused with this new team, they didn't have anything similar in comparison to the original one, they weren't as stable or friendly as Lux, Janna or even Jinx, probably because the team was fairly recent and haven't gone through many battles, even though they were more effecting than the first group.

¨Sometimes, yet they end up doing nothing, just some friendly banter¨ Ahri looked at both her friend and the last remaining member to be announced ¨Now I know you probably want to go home so I'll do this fast: Our last person is our advisor, a pure Star Guardian, just like me. She belonged to the team that my mother was from¨

¨Your mother?¨

¨Larisha, she was the leader of the last Star Guardians, or at least the ones from the old legacy¨ Hearing that name brought memories to Sophie, back in the beach when Janna told her about her former team ¨It is kind of a long story and I'll leave it for another moment but here's our advisor: Syndra¨ Now that name was definitely something that made her heart skip a beat. The traitor was in front of her.

¨You…¨

¨Hello, guardian, I believe we met before back on the summer camp¨

¨You and Janna…¨

¨Yes, Janna and I were part of the same team under Larisha's leadership, but that was a long time ago, even longer than what you humans usually live¨

¨You are a traitor!¨ Sophie pointed with her finger at the purple haired, Sarah and Ezreal were both surprised of hearing that and took a step back from the mage but Ahri stood there even though she didn't seem happy about it ¨You betrayed your team by joining with the Dark Star! They all died because of you!¨

¨Syndra… is this true?¨ Ahri frowned, she was clearly curious about this, the accusations from Sophie might be proof-less but she wanted to hear what their advisor had to say.

After a brief moment of silence the mage closed her eyes before opening them again and with a very serious look on her face ¨Unfortunately it is¨

¨She is ly- wait, you said yes?¨

¨I did¨ The voice of Syndra changed and it sounded like she felt guilt, a bit strange considering what Janna told the guardian ¨I saw the true power of the Dark Star, I was afraid but there was nothing for me to do. It was a battle we couldn't have won. Truth be told I wished things were different… but it ended up taking a turn for the worse, I got captured and then mind controlled by the Dark Star¨

¨So my mother… Larisha…¨

¨I couldn't stop it, it possessed me, turned me into a weapon against my sisters¨ Syndra looked at the leader ¨I am truly sorry Ahri, my actions were beyond my control yet they are inexcusable, if you wish you punish me I will accept it¨

¨No¨

¨No?¨ Sophie, Ezreal and Sarah said that at the same time, pretty much confused about it.

¨Like I said: No¨ Ahri took a few steps back so she could see the other four members ¨I should punish Syndra for killing my mother and of course betraying the rest of her former team… but no. All of those actions were not under her control and I can sense it in her voice, she never wanted to do it¨

¨Are you sure this is the right course of action Ahri? How do we know we are not going to get betrayed by this witch?¨ The markswoman turned to see the mage, she was still serious and showed no sign of happiness, sadness or anything.

¨She would've done it already, don't you think? Besides if she were still working with the Dark Star, why would she be killing her own allies?¨ Her friend was about to speak but she couldn't find any answer to that question ¨Besides you two keep a close eye to each other, I am fairly certain that if she gets mind-controlled again you will act and do the right thing¨

¨Fine by me¨ Sarah took a step back, still eyeing the purple-haired.

¨Syndra I am glad you decided to share this with us now a new question for you: Is there something else we should know about your previous life?¨

¨Janna¨ Sophie's ears perked up ¨Me and her were… not very close, in fact there was something about her that didn't seem right¨

¨What do you mean?¨ The support asked.

¨I felt Janna a bit disconnected, like her relationship with the team was not going well; she disappeared and whenever we went to weaken the Dark Star they were always there, preparing the counter-ambush¨

¨You saying that Janna was not trustworthy?¨ Soph chuckled ¨That's hard to believe¨

¨I am telling what I saw, I wouldn't be surprised if she, as you humans would say, paint me under a dark light.

¨It's _bad_ light¨ Ezreal pointed out the choice of words Syndra used.

¨In any case, I know you and Janna have been in the same team for a while, but I was also with her for a time even longer than your human life. Do you know the secrets from her former team? Has she told you everything? How certain are you that she is the person who she seems to be? My advice would be to keep your distance from her, try not to trust her until you find proof that she is a guardian going on the right path¨

¨Then I'll do the same with you, advisor¨ Miss Fortune said to the purple haired, creating more tension between the two of them.

This planted the seed of doubt in the support, she trusted Janna but at the same time there could be things she decided to keep, what if the blonde was actually a bad person and ended up trying to look redemption with Lux and her team? What if it was all a ruse? This created a small gap between Sophie and her former team, even if it was a mission to discover more about Syndra and if she had any evil plans this just puts more questions to the table. She needed more information and spending time with Ahri and the rest would be the best way to blend in and find out everything about Syndra.

¨Can we go home now? This conversation is leading to nowhere¨

¨Agreed, everyone you can return to your homes. Syndra¨ Ahri turned to the advisor ¨We need to talk¨

¨As you wish, Ahri¨

Everyone scattered away, Sophie left the park but she turned one last time to look at the two girls and even if they were talking to each other she felt how Syndra was looking back at the support. It was creepy but strange, in any case she went back to her home and document everything. This meeting was just the beginning in her mission.

* * *

 **And with this chapter Sophie's mission is a go as she tries to find more information about Syndra, but she should be careful because Janna has secrets of her own as well and putting the trust in either could be a bad idea. In any case now both characters have stuff to do and things to worry about and as the chapters go they might get more serious or dangerous, I will love how this arc progresses but for now we are still going at a slow pace.**

* * *

 **So this is it, the last chapter of the year. I don't plan on working on a new chapter for any of the stories until 2019 so I am leaving this sort of cliffhanger for all of you :)**

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to follow fav and review. Since there won't be new updates I wish you a happy Christmas and a happy New Year, make your promises for 2019 come true. This was Tourvelix to remind you to enjoy the last days of this year because next one is going to be better and as always, one last time for the sake of 2018:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	63. Chapter 63

The classroom was silent, all the periods were over and the club time has started. The members of the investigation club were around Ezreal and at a decent distance, Ren and Riven were together while Ekko was trying to control Taliyah who was moving all over the blond since this one was transformed into a Star Guardian.

¨She's been like this for twenty minutes…¨ Riven whispered to her boyfriend, their eyes still focused on both Taliyah and Ezreal, especially the former whose reactions went from surprised to amazed and even angry sometimes.

¨I wouldn't expect less to be honest¨ The president replied, crossing his arms knowing that even if he tried to separate the girl from the guardian she would still try to go back to analyze him ¨Ekko can you at least calm her down?¨

¨Hey, just because she is my girlfriend that doesn't mean I'll get to stop her every time she is interested in her heroes!¨ The other member of the club shrugged ¨Besides if Riven did something similar would you stop her?¨

¨No! I mean… she wouldn't do it¨ He quickly turned towards the white haired ¨You wouldn't do it, right?¨ But she shook her head in response ¨See? Plus you've seen her, I can't physically stop her, she'll just… push me away or break me like a stick¨

¨That's because you are weak¨

¨Am not!¨

¨He's right Ren, you are weak¨ Ezreal commented and saw how his friend could not believe another person was against him ¨But it's true!¨

¨You can't call me weak! I survived many encounters¨ The brown haired boy raised his infected arm and pointed at the other three members of the club (despite Taliyah not paying attention at all) but at that moment he felt some pain that everyone noticed.

¨Ren!¨ Riven was the first one to come to help him who tried to avoid the president from falling since his legs seemed to give in for a moment ¨You okay?¨

¨Y-yeah just… just a sting that's all¨

Riven knew that was not `just a sting´ since she felt something the moment her hand touched the arm, it was something wet and coming from the small spots where he was injured.

Ezreal transformed back to his normal self and with the help of Riven they dragged the affected student to the nearest chair ¨Are you really ok?¨

¨Are you going to be asking me every second if I am okay?¨ The response was not expected, it came out more aggressively than usual, especially since it was Ren who said that ¨From time to time I get some slight pain from the arm that got bitten from that fight in the camp, nothing too serious¨ Ezreal and Riven exchanged glances ¨Just… give me a minute¨

¨I think we should call it for today and let the prez rest¨ Ekko commented and saw how Taliyah looked at the boy with worry on her face.

¨What about club day? Tomorrow we'll have our own stand and if we don't do anything we'll have to disband the club¨

¨Don't worry, I'll take care of that, we'll leave you and Riven here, ok? Call me when you are free¨ And with that Ezreal, Ekko and Taliyah left the classroom just for the couple to be the last people in there.

They were silent but Ren could hear that Riven was worried as she kept inspecting the wounds caused by the minion from the Dark Star. The girl grabbed her bag and took some gauze and disinfectant and tried to apply it to the wound however there was no effect nor expected reaction from Ren since he only shivered due to the cold touch. After cleaning and then applying some bandages over the affected spots she looked at the previously used and her face showed even more worry.

¨I have to ask: Why do you have medical supplies with you?¨ Ren chuckled, looking at his now bandaged arm and how it had a neat bow to tie everything up.

¨Because you seem to have an issue of getting in the way of trouble and lately you've been getting injured for doing stupid things¨

¨That ain't true¨ He sighed and looked at the darkened gauze ¨What's that?¨

¨It came from your arm; I can't explain but it seems the wounds are seeping some strange liquid…¨ She raised her head to look at her boyfriend in the eyes ¨I'm worried about you Ren, I'm afraid something is going on with you¨

¨Yeah something is going on with me, I'm getting annoyed that people are worried at me. How would you feel if someone kept asking you if you were okay or was worried about you?¨

¨Same to what you did back when I was with the other team?¨ Ren finally noticed ¨You tried to persuade me of leaving that team, of not following Katarina; you tried to save me and in the end you did¨ Riven grabbed the president's hand and held it tight ¨I can't be thankful enough for what you did for me, but I feel like if you… if something were to happen to you it means that I failed¨

¨That's why you gave me the blade, right? So I could defend myself¨

¨So you could defend yourself if there was no other option. Reginald, I _implore_ , don't do anything stupid, try to stay safe and while I know I can't persuade you out of the club or investigating the Star Guardians, try not to get injured, ok?¨

After a brief moment of silence the student nodded ¨Alright… I'll do it, but for you¨ The white haired smiled and left a tender kiss on his lips.

¨I would not ask it any other way. Come on¨ She helped Ren stand up while still holding his hand ¨I'll take you to my place, you still need to practice with that blade¨

¨Do I have to? I just promised you that I'll try to stay safe¨

¨You are still not out of danger, plus I want you for myself some more time and-¨ She stopped talking as the two of them focused on the door to the classroom. Someone knocked and by the time they walked towards it they saw that the same shadow on the other side slid a note underneath. Ren was about to pick it up but Riven was the one who decided to take the lead; she summoned the sword and opened the door, unfortunately no one was outside, the empty hallway and the complete silence gave it away that no one was nearby and everyone left. She closed the door and made the blade disappear, meanwhile the president had already the note in his hand ¨What is it?¨

¨A note¨

¨Apart from the obvious… what does it say?¨

¨It says: _Keep your eyes open, the new Star Guardians will make an announcement, plenty of people will be curious and your club will be crowded. Try not to fail_ ¨ After reading it he gave the paper to Riven ¨The new Star Guardians will make an announcement… what could that mean?¨

¨I don't know… the person who wrote this clearly wants you to keep this club running¨

¨Oh I have an idea who it might be… unfortunately¨

¨This girl has some nice handwriting¨ Ren looked at her since he was confused from the words of the warrior ¨It is clear that no man can write like this¨

¨That's insulting… but you ain't wrong¨ Reginald sighed and grabbed his backpack ¨Let's just get out of here, the longer we stay the more… weird it can get¨ Riven nodded and the two of them left the classroom and the academy however the brown haired felt a chill down his spine, as if someone was watching him, even if he was now far away from that place.

* * *

 **Even though I said I wouldn't write until the next year, we are on the 31st and 10 hours before the 2019.**

 **Ren's arm is getting complicated and this is nothing but trust me the next day in the story will be the club day and that will be interesting.**

* * *

 **ComradeBill:** _Ooo I sense my plotwist with either Janna or Syndra._

 _But here is an advice, please use this Clever foreshadowing of Janna or Syndra being the evil douche (or not, who knows) well._

 _Because this plotwist can only mean two things for the future chapters, either it will strife very well, or it will fail really badly, hence good luck on utilizing this foreshadowing. I have faith in you_

 **Thanks for the advice. For now this trusting game between the two guardians is very unclear but as the story progresses it will finally get a definite answer. But for now you should look for the small clues I'm leaving around :)**

* * *

 **This has been an interesting year, the story progressed a lot but most importantly, more people joined to read the story. I'll see if I can have another chapter done before the 8th of January because that's when I'm going on vacation and I'll be away from my computer. Unfortunately I can't write from my phone because I find it very complicated. I should be returning on the 1st of February so until then no new chapters (This one is a promise, maybe not a good one)**

 **Unlike me who forgets to link it in every chapter, there's a Discord server with many writers and readers from FanFiction: discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . ) feel free to join and talk, we are all good people :D**

 **This is my last chapter of hte year, hope you enjoyed it and don't forget to follow, fav and review. This was Tourvelix to remind you to be careful with the pirotechnics. Until then have a nice 2019 and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	64. Chapter 64

The period before the first recess was given to the different club members to set up their stands for `Club Day´, a lot of the students were moving around the whole courtyard working on their personal spaces. Plenty of the clubs dedicated to sports were sent to the gym so a lot of attention was diverted to that sector, still a lot of young ones were walking back and forth and saw how some were already prepared.

The girls from the literature club left the exposition to Lux since she was the president and Sophie, however (and for the first time) Jinx decided to join them, not because of sheer interest because of the fact that she could skip classes. The blonde was leading the trio and from behind the other two guardians were carrying a box full of pamphlets to promote the club, even if they never expected people to join.

¨You know I always hated Club Day¨ Jinx commented ¨We have to show ourselves and make an act that this club is serious and actually does something¨

¨In a way we _do_ something, just not what the club entails¨ Sophie answered as they were getting closer to their stand. It was far away and out of sight of many students, close to other clubs that were equally non-popular as theirs ¨Besides we are not forcing you to stay with us, you can go out and enjoy the rest of the day¨ She smiled at the cyan haired but this one did nothing but to frown ¨What?¨

¨You can't expect me to go back to the classroom and _study_ , right? The classes are so boring¨

¨Jinx it's the third day of the new year at the academy¨

¨And I hate it already! Besides I came here to help Soph, after all guardians need to help each other¨ She placed her arm on the shoulder of the dark haired but she immediately moved, making Jinx lose her balance for a moment.

¨How about I give you a megaphone so you can repeat about our secret to everyone in the academy?¨ The support countered and Lux did nothing but to shake her head.

After that brief moment the three girls started to set up the stand by placing the pamphlets over the table and to hang a banner by the edge. It was a blue-colored piece of cloth that said `Literature Club: Discover, read and discuss!´ with a smiley face in the end; clearly it was made by Lux but the small details like the smile or even some books and pencils were made by Lulu.

With minutes away from the beginning of Club Day, the girls received their first visit albeit a pretty familiar face for the three of them.

¨So you are now chained to be the face of the club?¨ Reginald and Ezreal showed up, the president looked at how the stand was decorated while the vice had eyes only for his girlfriend ¨Do you think you'll have luck this year and have some people join your group?¨

¨As if!¨ Jinx's immediate response with a slight tone of humor in it was surprising.

¨No! I mean… we are always open for new members, unfortunately not a lot of people seem to be interested in literature…¨

¨That's… unfortunate¨ The two members of the investigation club shrugged ¨Hey Lux, wanna go for-¨

¨What happened to your arm?¨ Sophie interrupted and the guardians focused their eyes onto the bandaged arm from Reginald.

¨Huh? This?¨ He raised his arm and showed the `injury´ ¨Just some… accident I had¨

¨Are you okay? Do you want me to look into that?¨

¨You a doctor now?¨ He chuckled ¨I'm fine¨

¨But with all those bandages you could-¨

¨ **I'm fine** ¨ He raised his tone and showed to be more aggressive as well ¨It's nothing¨

There was silence afterwards and to cut this whole tension Ezreal coughed ¨Ok… so Lux, do you fancy a bike ride after classes?¨

¨I… uh… sure, this first week is quite calm¨

¨Awesome! I'll pick you up at… six? Yeah six¨ Everyone turned after hearing the bell ¨Right, it's Club Day time, good luck girls!¨ The blond waved and the boys ran to their stand. Lux sighed and smiled, she was happy with that man and felt like nothing could break their relationship; the leader woke up from her trance as she saw the other two girls laughing ¨What? What's so funny?¨

¨Oooh, my dear Ezreal¨ Jinx tried to imitate the guardian's voice while at the same time making the sound of kisses ¨Let's go ride a bike on the sunset¨

¨He never said that¨

¨So when are you going to get married¨ Lux's cheeks turned red the moment the rebel asked that ¨Seems like our president is also a tomato¨

¨STOP STOP STOP STOP¨ Lux yelled, covering her face with her hands. As the two of them were going back and forth with their words, the support remained silent, still looking at Reginald who in sight; she remembered that Janna treated his arm back in the camp but so far this is the first time it looked different, Sophie was concerned and would look into it whenever she gets the chance.

…

The Club Day finally started, the horde of students walking all around the academy and looking at the different stands that were scattered through the courtyard and the gym, even some classrooms were allowed to be used for expositions. While some of the clubs were quite busy with visitors the literature one had no one and that was what the guardians wanted. Some people looked at the banner they placed but nothing else, not even to get close to have a small talk.

The three girls were relaxed, they never expected anyone but the moment someone got closer Sophie and Lux started to get nervous; Jinx on the other hand was literally chewing bubblegum with her feet over the table and leaning on the chair.

¨Boring¨

¨Can you stop it?¨ Lux tried to use her authority on the rebel, unfortunately despite her words having some power the cyan haired was not moved in the slightest by what the leader said.

¨No. Boring¨ She kept using her legs to move back and forth on the back legs from the chair

¨Jinx if you keep doing that then no one would come to check on the club¨

¨I thought that was the whole idea? Making sure no one would get close to check on the club so we can still do… _our stuff_ ¨

¨Why do I think you saying that makes it sound more shady?¨ Soph spoke up, she was mostly checking on her phone and looking at the students that were nearby ¨But seriously, can you stop it?¨

Jinx halted her movements and thought for a moment. Without thinking much she sighed and sat correctly, putting her chair closer to the table ¨Fine, but I won't take orders from you¨

¨It wasn't an order but… ok¨

Sophie's mind started to remember the plan she had with Jinx; so far none of the other members of the team talked about how she joined Ahri's team which meant that her accomplice hasn't shared any information to Lux or the others. Out of curiosity she decided to check the blog from her _new_ leader and noticed something peculiar, the last post was tagged as `Big announcement today during Club Day´ and it was dated from that very morning. She didn't' spoke much to the mage or the others ever since their meeting so if the girl had anything planned then Soph was pretty much unaware of it.

¨Remind me not to participate in this the next time, even if it means to support another member of the team¨ Jinx groaned and looked to the sky ¨Can this day be interesting for once?¨

¨ _Students from Runeterra Academy!¨_ A familiar voice attracted the attention of everyone in the courtyard, it came from the rooftop of the main building.

¨Ask and you shall receive I guess…¨ Lux replied as the three girls saw how many of the young people and even professors were gathering in the middle of this open space.

On the rooftop there were four people, all of them familiar faces to many of the students. It was Syndra, Sarah, Ezreal and Ahri with this one carrying a megaphone ¨I welcome everyone to a new year here and to this wonderful Club Day. As you probably noticed I posted about a big announcement today but it is not only for me but for my companions to my left and right¨

¨What is she doing?¨ Jinx tilted her head, confused as to what the most popular girl in the academy was about to do ¨Oh I hope she jumps¨

¨Jinx!¨ Lux looked at her friend, surprised she made that comment about the leader of the other team.

¨What?¨

¨There is no doubt that we live in some mysterious times, the city has been attacked by monsters and even that gigantic one, but it is unfortunate for me to say that those weren't the last ones since the attacks continued but they were controlled, not by the police but by another team of Star Guardians¨ Everyone in the crowd started to talk to each other ¨I know you are all skeptical about this, the other team caused some havoc but they meant well, we must not consider them as enemies of the society but people who tried and did their best¨

¨Is she… is she supporting us?!¨ The blonde asked to herself, it was incredible how Ahri's behavior changed.

¨But their time has passed and a new group of Star Guardians arrived to protect you! That is why we want to make this announcement, we do not hide in the shadows, we are not cowards, the people needs to know the faces of those that will protect you¨ Ahri put the megaphone in the ground and nodded at the other three members and with that they all started to transform, showing **everyone** their true identities as guardians. Everyone was still surprised, amazed and some even scared; as the process was finished the leader grabbed the megaphone again ¨This is who we are, we are Star Guardians and we are here to protect you. We cannot fix the mistakes made by the previous team, but we shall make sure they won't get repeated as Valoran City will not fall and the hope of its people shall not break¨ There was silence until someone cheered and after that everyone followed.

Lux, Jinx and Sophie were terrified, Ahri and her team revealed their identities just like nothing. They showed who they were not only to the world but to the Dark Star possibly.

¨She…¨ Lux was still dazed, if Ahri and the rest were chosen by the First Star then maybe after everything it happened the blonde has been doing everything wrong ¨Where did we go wrong?¨

¨Some of you may know who my teammates are but let me introduce you for those who joined this year at our wonderful academy¨ As Ahri walked and made a presentation to the other three members the heart of Sophie started to beat wildly, her breathing became faster and Jinx noticed this.

¨Please no… don't…¨ The support whispered under her breath, knowing that if her identity was revealed then maybe the rest of Lux's team might be found too.

¨We also have one fifth member!¨

¨Another one?!¨ Lux said with a mixture of curiosity and venom in her words.

¨Allow me to introduce you to So-¨

¨Hooray for the new Star Guardians!¨ The voice of Taliyah screaming out as she raised her fist was the signal for everyone to cheer and yell as their new protectors will be there to save the academy and Valoran City from any new threat.

¨But I-¨ Ahri tried to speak but the outburst from the crowd made it almost impossible so the best course of action was to drop the megaphone and wave at the students.

Sophie on the other hand sighed of relief, at the very least she now had time to talk to Ahri in case she decided to post the names on their blog. Her eyes went to her friend and smiled as she knew that the hooray from before was to stop the leader from revealing Soph's identity. In the meantime, Lux was having a breakdown, her eyes were lost and hands were shaking, she was about to lose her balance if it weren't for the other two guardians beside her who held the student by the arms.

¨What do we do now?¨ Jinx asked, looking at both the support and the mage.

¨Ezreal… a Star Guardian¨

¨We will talk about it later, what do we do now? What's our course of action? Lux, answer me!¨

¨I… I…¨

¨We should gather up with the rest of the team and discuss this¨ Sophie suggested since the leader was unable to speak properly. The rebel nodded and the two of them dragged the girl with golden hair back to the stand.

…

On the nearest bathroom near the courtyard there was Ren washing his hands; he heard someone talking over a megaphone but paid no attention to what the female voice said. As he walked out his eyes caught sight of Ekko who ran towards him.

¨Prez, we need you at the stand¨

¨Did someone steal something?¨

¨No… it's- What were you doing in the bathroom?¨

¨Does it really matter? What happened at the stand?¨

¨We got people wanting to join the club¨

¨Wait, really?!¨ He smiled ¨That's awesome! How many?¨

¨Well…¨ The two of them stopped as they saw that the stand from the Investigation Club was crowded with people and the only person attending those that were interested was Ezreal who was in his Star Guardian uniform ¨I'd say plenty¨

* * *

 **That was the big announcement, a victory for some but a doomsday for the old team. Lux is clearly shocked and so will the rest of the guardians once they gather. Ren will have more activity in his club now that there is a `celebrity´ among them.**

 **There is no doubt that Ahri's reveal to the world will have it's consequences but that's it for now. And to you who were curious about what was going to happen to Ahri, I told you she was going to be the center of it ;)**

* * *

 **ComradeBill:** _It was such a fun journey following this fic, a happy new year to you too and finally Ren is getting some plot significance at last._

 _Perhaps which Champion he would be will finally be revealed! I am placing bets on Kha Zix, Mordred Kaiser , and Karthus or maybe even Malhalzar... for no good reasons, just wild guess._

 _Waiting for the early release of the next chapter :)_

 **Ren is slowly becoming more significant to his side of the plot with that injury and I can assure you it will _bleed into_ the other side eventually. I can't tell what will happen to him but it's not going to be nice and I can understand your ideas and theories.**

 **Also yes, hope this chapter was released early for you :)**

* * *

 **Alright 2019, new year, let's see if we can finish this story this year. Let me remind you that I will be gone starting from the 8th of January until the 1st of February so NO NEW CHAPTERS UNTIL I RETURN.**

 **There was something I wanted to talk ever since last year (heh) and it is that leak about Kayle, Morgana, the upcoming Champion and some possible skins. I swear if that Anti Star Guardian Zyra is true I'm truly scared and amazed. If any rioter reads this I just want to tell this to you: hi. If you don't... well... it is awkward (Though I'm fairly certain that Riot just thought of that name and it might be temporary, and if they are truly ASG then they chose some Champions that are evil and not because of my fic)**

 **What time is it? It's promotion time** **discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . ) even if I'm gone for vacations I'll still be on the Discord server to talk and shitpost.**

 **It is 1 in the morning and I feel tired, Summer is killing me and I want to finish as many games as I can before leaving (I keep downloading games and just leave them there, right now I have like 20+ games still waiting to be finished) Hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to follow/fav/review or even PM, I'll answer when I get up or when I'm available (which considering myself I'm pretty much up all day).**

 **This was Tourvelix to remind you that next week we'll have the Blood Moon patch and we _might_ have information on Kayle, Morgana and MAYBE the new Champion.**

 **And as I post this chapter and I head to bed I bid farewell for the rest of the month but not before saying you my sweet words (maybe not so much) to close this:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	65. Chapter 65

There were voices mixed with the darkness that surrounded her vision, the girl's mind was trying to reconstruct everything that happened: It was Club Day, everything went normal until some people made an announcement. Those were Ahri, Syndra, Sarah and her boyfriend Ezreal. All of them Star Guardians but there was someone else who they weren't able to mention. Was it a nightmare? Maybe the darkness meant that she was close to waking up in her room and preparing for the actual Club Day.

¨We don't have all day¨ A familiar voice echoed in the girl's ears and the next thing was that her whole face received a wave of cold water that made the blonde wake up.

¨W-what?¨ She looked around and saw that around her were the members of her team; she was not in her room, instead it was the bathroom near the courtyard ¨W-where am I?¨

¨The academy's bathroom, we all came to the courtyard when we saw Jinx and Sophie dragging you away from the club's stand¨ Janna said, moving in closer to put a cold cloth on the leader's forehead, she then looked at the rest with a frowned expression on her face ¨Can anyone tell me what happened out there? We heard someone talking over a megaphone but we couldn't understand anything at all¨

¨Well…¨

¨Short story: Ahri, her friend Sarah, Syndra and Lux's boyfriend revealed themselves as Star Guardians in front of pretty much everyone at the academy¨

¨WHAT?!¨ The mentor immediately stood up, grabbing Jinx by the arms ¨Do you have ANY idea what that means?!¨

¨Hey zip it old woman¨ The rebel moved her arms to release herself from the guardian's grasp ¨It means that the eyes will be focused on them rather than us¨

¨No, it means that the Dark Star knows their identities, they are in danger, more than any of the students here¨ Poppy answered what the mentor was going to say.

¨Exactly, even if they proved that they can fight against the creatures… there's… Syndra with them¨

¨Do you think she will betray everyone again?¨ Lulu was curious, remembering the story Janna told everyone back at the camp.

¨I don't know… but…¨ The other blonde felt speechless, what if the event repeats again? These were innocent people but Ahri looked exactly like _her_.

¨So it was true…¨ Lux sighed, that was the only thing she could do right now ¨It feels like a month since it happened… might need another vacation¨

¨No no, no more vacations¨ Jinx grabbed the leader by the arm and pulled her back on her feet ¨Just think about this, they have all the attention, students and probably the Dark Star too. We've seen then, they are capable, we can use them!¨

¨Use them?!¨ Sophie raised her tone, almost afraid since she also belonged part of that team ¨D-don't you think we should make an alliance, like… we are all Star Guardians¨ The girl's eyes slightly turned to Janna who seemed to be on her own thoughts ¨Maybe not all of them. The point is, they are not our enemies¨

¨Well they clearly want us out of the way and do the job¨ Jinx looked back at Lux who was also on her own thoughts ¨What do you say, leader?¨

¨Mh? Oh… uh… we need how this evolves… yeah¨

¨We need how this evolves?¨ The rebel chuckled ¨Are you sure the fact that your… boyfriend is a Star Guardian did not move your brain?¨

¨What? No, definitely no¨

¨You seem pretty calm about it¨ Poppy frowned, it was surprising that an energic and expressive girl like Lux was pretty tame in this moment.

¨I… I need to talk to him, I am definitely curious…¨

¨Yeahyeahyeah you probably want to kill him¨ Once again the marksman decided to interrupt and grabbed Sophie by the arm ¨Let's go outside, I need to talk to you¨

¨Sophie¨ Everyone turned and the dark haired stopped in her tracks, thus putting Jinx to a stop as well. Janna had a stern look, something that the support never saw ¨I need to talk to you too¨

¨Hey old lady, she's mine...¨ After a moment of silence Jinx noticed her choice of words ¨Why don't you get your own Sophie¨

¨Eh… Janna, I'll talk to you after classes, ok?¨ The blonde nodded and the two girls left the bathroom so they could go immediately to a more private place where not even their team could hear it. As they were moving they still heard the people cheering for the new Star Guardians and not even the professors could disperse the crowd.

They went near one of the sheds that the janitor used to store the tools, they made sure no one was near so their talk could not be heard.

¨Alright this opportunity is golden¨

¨Jinx… I can't¨

¨What?¨

¨Have you seen Lux? The fact that Ezreal is a Star Guardian clearly affected her, she is not alright¨

¨So?¨

¨So… imagine if she finds out that I joined the other team, even if it is just for information gathering about Syndra. We need to tell her¨

¨NO!¨ Sophie was about to leave but Jinx grabbed her hand to stop her walk ¨No… she… I'll tell her, ok? The less they know the better, if they know then they will either dissuade you not to do it or maybe try some other methods. Soph, this is the only way¨

¨Ok… can you stop holding my hand?¨

¨Not until you promise me you will keep this a secret¨ After some moments of not receiving an answer the dark haired nodded ¨Good, I'll tell Lux and the others when I feel it's the best moment¨ With those words Jinx let go off Sophie's hand but the latter held it once again.

¨Now it is your time: Promise me that when they find out about me participating with Ahri in her team that you will contain any kind of damage will happen¨

¨Why do you want me to-¨

¨Promise me!¨ She held Jinx's hand tighter and looked at the cyan haired in the eyes, what she did notice afterwards was that she was blushing, making a face that could be described with confusing and could not respond. That's when she released their hands and took a step back ¨So yeah… that¨

¨Yeah I… I uh… I will¨ Jinx grabbed her hand that touched Sophie's and caressed it ¨We're done¨ The other girl nodded and saw how the support was walking away, meanwhile the rebel looked back at her hand once again while her mind had many thoughts in it, some that could not even find an answer but wanted to.

…

As classes went on the only topic that was talked everywhere was the new Star Guardian team, it was expected and Sophie tried not to go anywhere near that kind of conversation since she shared classroom with Lux and Poppy and **especially** Taliyah who would be completely eager to hear about what happened that morning.

Eventually there were no more periods remaining and some of the students were returning home while others just stayed for the clubs. Since Literature wouldn't start until next week the girls were able to leave, except that both Sophie and Janna didn't and met at the same classroom they use for the club.

¨This means trouble¨ Janna crossed her arms, she was sitting in one of the tables, her eyes were mostly focused on the rooftop that was used for the announcement ¨They are in great danger and they don't know it…¨

¨You mean the Dark Star or Syndra?¨

¨Dark Star… or maybe Syndra… or maybe both, I don't know anymore¨ Janna sighed and now turned to face the other support ¨I am scared Sophie… not because of Syndra… but because of Ahri¨

¨What do you mean?¨

¨Ahri… she looks like _her_ …¨ The girl tilted her head, not knowing what she was going for ¨Larisha, my old teammate, my old leader… the person I cared for… my friend, sister… she was a lot of things for me and for the team¨

This was no new information, Syndra did mention Larisha and Ahri was fully aware of her mother however this did confirm it the other leader's ascendance.

¨So… you and Larisha… do you think that Ahri is hers?¨

¨There is no doubt, the outfit, abilities, it is _her_ … Ahri comes from both Larisha and me, she would be, as you would define as a daughter¨

¨I am still uncertain how that works but let's move on¨ Sophie held tighter to her bag ¨You wanted us to meet to tell me that Ahri is your daughter?¨

¨No, it's about Jinx¨ That last word made the girl blush as well as open her eyes in surprise. Was the plan already ruined? ¨You are very close to her, she trusts you. I feel like you would probably be the best to convince her about not _using_ Ahri's team¨

¨But what's the problem? Jinx does have a point¨

¨I don't want to see my little star-… I don't want to see Ahri injured because of Jinx's stupid ideas¨ Janna got closer to her friend, her teammate ¨Promise me you will talk to her, that you will stop her… ridiculous ideas¨

¨I… I'll see what I can do…¨ Sophie nodded and turned, going straight for the classroom's door. Her hand went for the doorknob but…

¨Oh, and Sophie?¨ The hand movement stopped, her eyes were looking at the reflection of Janna in the glass ¨If Syndra ever talks to you, if she tries to convince you of anything… don't believe her, remember she was a traitor¨

¨What if she wasn't?¨ The moment Syndra talked to her back on that meeting she did that same thing, she painted Janna as someone that is not trustworthy while the blonde did the opposite. It was clear they hated each other but only one was right ¨What if Syndra was not evil, like… what if she was mind controlled? The Dark Star can probably do that¨

¨Are you defending her? After what she did?!¨

¨I am not… just… I am curious¨

¨Sophie, I've seen what Syndra did, there is no doubt that she betrayed my sisters, she betrayed _me_ ¨ Janna frowned, she was angrier now and it was clear that talking about her former team was not a topic she enjoyed ¨Is there something you want to talk about?¨

¨No…¨ The dark haired opened the door ¨But like I said… I was curious¨ With those cryptic words the girl left the classroom. There was going to be a conflict between Janna and Syndra eventually, however that would put Sophie in the middle because after her talk with the team's advisor she couldn't trust any of them, not until this mystery of who was the traitor was solved. For now there were more pressing matters like how to interact with her new team.

* * *

 **On the very day I return from vacations I get a nasty headache but it won't stop me from writing this chapter. Janna is being more suspicious towards Sophie but now the group seems a bit torn due to the announcement from Ahri and her team. Jinx hopes for her plan to work but she also hopes that the questions that are around her head will get answered.**

* * *

 **Alright so while I was out a lot of things happened. Sylas, tried him today, he seems weird but fun. Even if I was getting disconnected from the game I managed to do well (and EVEN if I had no idea what I was doing). Now the season has started and I have to prepare on both LAS and NA. Also they did announce that some skin lines will return, one of them being Star Guardian so we'll have to see how it goes (Inb4 the whole ASG crew)**

 **It is time for me to say goodbye because I was not lying about the headache, it hurts and I want some rest but I couldn't do it without posting this chapter. Now comes the promotion, Discord and everything: discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . ) And some people do join the server looking for me but I forget to say that my name in FF is not hte same one was Discord, you can find me there as Durga.**

 **That being said, this was Tourvelix to remind you that in the southern hemisphere there is summer and right now I am BURNING UP. Don't forget to follow, fav, review, I'll be happy with those and even without but as always:  
**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	66. Chapter 66

After the whole announcement the academy was `hyped´ and the new Star Guardians were having a lot of followers, almost literally since wherever the new guardians were going a lot of students followed from behind. And for some people this meant a problem, Ahri was already used to it and Sarah was about to know what it felt to be one of the most popular girls at the academy, Syndra on the other hand kept everyone away from her since everyone felt a strange vibe whenever they were trying to stay close to the guardian.

Ezreal however...

¨Is there something wrong Ren?¨ The blond asked, seeing as how his friend was quite silent and with his mind set on stabbing the meal in his plate ¨You've been quiet ever since the presentation¨

¨Me? Uh… not really it's just… complicated¨

¨What's complicated? I might be a Star Guardian and yes we announced it to pretty much all of the students, but that won't change who I am¨

¨It's not _you_ but… you know… no offense but if we want to talk about stuff it will be a bit difficult¨ His eyes went to the surroundings. The cafeteria was packed with a lot of students and mostly around the tables that had the guardians in it. On one side of the table it was Taliyah, Ekko and Ren while on the other it was Ezreal alone but with a lot of girls and boys around him as if he were a saint ¨Because let's be honest, with all the people here there's no privacy¨

¨Come on Ren, there's nothing to be worried about, if it's Star Guardian talk you shouldn't be worried, they are also interested in that stuff. Right everyone?¨ Ezreal turned to everyone and they just agreed and cheered for the student ¨See?¨

¨It's more complicated, in fact…¨ Ren sighed ¨You know what? We can talk in the club, ok?¨ The president grabbed his tray and stood up, Taliyah did the same and while Ekko wanted to stay there, it was the girl who pulled him out of that table as the rest of the `fans´ sat on that same place ¨Let's go somewhere else¨ He muttered to his friends as they looked for an empty table to occupy.

Their search was short and since everyone was still busy with the guardians, the three club members found an empty place to sit and discuss over there.

¨Can't believe him, he reveals an important secret and gets all the girls to praise him¨ Ekko looked back at the other table just to return and see Taliyah frowning ¨What? He's taking advantage of… his powers or something¨

¨I don't like you comparing yourself with him, those are just fans and not… people that care for him. Besides he already has Lux and you have me¨ Taliyah couldn't stop getting jealous at how Ekko got jealous for Ezreal having a lot of followers ¨Why do we even come here?¨

¨It's just I don't like big crowds that are looking at me, I want some freedom, peace which I'm afraid we'll lose soon; it is widely known that the club will have a big increase in members, whilst good it will be mostly to due to Ezreal being there¨

¨So you want to cut Ez out of the club?¨ Ekko asked as he grabbed some of his meal ¨That seems harsh¨

¨No no it's… I highly doubt people would join because they are interested in the club or investigating the Star Guardians, what I mean is they'll join because they'll be very close to one¨ Ren shook his head and saw how Ezreal was the center of attention in his new group ¨What do you think Tali?¨ However the president didn't receive any response ¨Taliyah?¨ He turned and saw how the student was focused on someone who joined their table.

It was a young girl and by the looks of it she was from first year. She had long orange hair with purple tips, her eyes were different colored but most importantly she seemed to be mostly interested in Ezreal as well.

¨Uh… who are you?¨ Ren asked at the uninvited guest.

She turned and smiled at the president ¨Me? Oh hi! I'm Zoe, is Ezreal with all of you?¨ The new girl leaned forward, as if she was trying to get all the information from the club members.

¨Uh… yeah… but he is busy with other people. What brings you here?¨

¨Nothing, just wanted to see if there was some more space in your club, I want to be with my boyfriend¨

¨Your boyfriend?¨ Ekko chuckled ¨And who is that supposed to be?¨

¨Ezreal of course!¨ The club members looked at each other, almost worried ¨What? Was it something I said?¨

¨You… uh… Zoe, you do know that Ezreal has a girlfriend already, right?¨ Ren asked her as he saw that the emotion from the little one was slowly going down.

¨Yeah no offense, Ez doesn't like them that young¨ Ekko countered with a joke but got immediately met by Taliyah stepping on his foot ¨Ow! What was that for?¨

¨So who is Ezreal's girlfriend if it's not me?¨

¨It's…¨ Ren looked around and saw on a distant table the girls from Literature Club ¨Over there¨ He pointed at said table ¨The young blonde girl, the one to the side of the dark haired one. That's Lux¨

¨Lux, huh? I might have to talk to her about my property!¨ The girl immediately left the table but when she was about to get close to Lux and the others she got distracted and went immediately for the same place Ezreal was.

The club members sighed as they saw the little one walking away ¨Please make up an excuse so we can't let her into the club¨

¨Just tell her we don't have any more spots left, that will turn her down¨

¨We can't, the rules of the academy state that clubs don't have a limit when it comes to members but the more we add the more people in charge we have to get¨

¨Just…¨ Ren sighed ¨I don't want people to join because one of the members is a Star Guardian, I want them to join because they are interested in investigating¨ The president stood up, this time leaving the tray ¨In any case, I'll go walk somewhere then head to the classroom again; we still have to look into the other team¨ The other two members nodded and the brown haired left the cafeteria.

…

Time has passed ever since that moment, the day at the academy was over and so was the club meeting that had more than twenty members on their first day, it was a mess to control everyone since they were all asking questions to Ezreal rather than going onto the important topic of the club which was investigating.

Thankfully for Ren that was over and got a message from Riven to meet her near the bathrooms from the courtyard because she needed to talk. As he got there the student noticed a white lock from his girlfriend poking from the corner; his curiosity got to him and went to investigate but what he did not expect was that the moment he got to the corner a pair of hands grabbed him by the shirt and pinned him against the wall so that no one could see him. The red hairs and the green eyes were his immediate recognition, although the roughness (and strength) from that pin also gave it away.

¨Why did you keep this from us!¨ The girl said angrily.

¨Kat, you promised me you wouldn't hurt him!¨ Riven shouted at her friend who didn't seem to hold back against Reginald.

¨Do you think he would answer my questions if I treat him well?!¨

¨You… could've… asked¨ Ren grabbed Kat by the arm and tried to release himself from her grasp.

¨Then tell me why did Ahri and her people did that presentation, huh? You had Ezreal in your club for who knows how long and you never found out about Ahri?!¨

¨Just… stop¨ Ren used his bandaged arm to pull Kat's arm away and used it against her. He twisted the arm and pushed the redhead against the same wall he was pinned.

¨Ren!¨ Riven was partly scared and surprised ¨Where did you… how?¨ The white haired saw how her friend suffered some pain from that hit and she was now being held there ¨Release her¨

¨I did knew about Ezreal because he told me fairly recently he was a guardian but Ahri I had NO idea about it, even less about this presentation¨ Ren held the arm tighter and even pushing it up, causing the former ASG to yelp in pain.

¨Stop!¨

¨No… you tried to kill me, now let me enjoy this moment…¨

¨REN STOP!¨ Riven yelled, grabbing her boyfriend by the shoulders and pulling away from Katarina. She then turned him around to have a better look at him ¨What in the world is wrong with you?! What was that thing?!¨

¨I… I uh…¨ Ren looked back at Katarina who was caressing her arm, she in exchanged looked back at the president with her typical angry look as if she was about to kill him (which wouldn't be too far off for what he did) ¨I don't know, it just happened¨

¨Where did you get such strength?¨

¨Strength? I barely did anything to you!¨ Ren looked at his hands, he in fact was conscious when that happened but he felt he didn't use any strength at all. However something was bugging him, he wouldn't be that aggressive to someone but this time it felt different, not only he had this thought of what he did was right, he felt _good_ about it.

¨Ok, let's calm down¨ Riven said to the both of them while still holding the boy ¨You have no idea why Ahri did that thing then?¨

¨I already told you, I have no idea, not even Ezreal told me. Besides during this whole announcement I was in the bathroom¨

¨So you don't know that there is a fifth member in that team?¨ Katarina barged in, still angry at the president.

¨A fifth member?¨ He looked at the two girls ¨No, I have no idea¨ Riven released him and sighed ¨You think I'm hiding something from you?¨

¨I don't but Katarina thought otherwise¨ The warrior turned to face Katarina ¨Now what do you have to say to my boyfriend?¨

¨You're crazy if you think I'll forgive him. Besides, I will still think he doesn't deserve you as a boyfriend¨

¨Can we not? Thank you¨

¨So… is that why you wanted me here?¨

¨Yeah… sorry it turned out into this¨

¨It's alright¨ Ren fixed his shirt and looked at Kat ¨I'm still glad you didn't kill me back then¨

¨You are just lucky, that's all¨

¨I'm glad…¨ He made a sarcastic nod as he turned to leave that place before Katarina actually decided to kill him ¨I'll talk to you later Riv¨

¨Stay safe!¨ She waved and the two girls stayed there to talk for a few more minutes.

As he was intending to leave the academy the president found himself with Sophie who was also going to leave.

¨What a day¨

¨You tell me, the club was busier than ever¨

¨Oh yeah, Ezreal is with you, right? He's a Star Guardian now?¨

¨So it seems¨ Ren shrugged ¨What do you think?¨

¨Seems like a dangerous move, I do wonder how the other Star Guardians are doing¨

¨Beats me, they are missing but I hope they return, besides there is still a fifth member from this new team that has yet to be announced¨ He chuckled, in his head there was a small joke he could make in this very moment ¨So when are you going to present yourself was the new member?¨

¨What?!¨ Sophie's heart stopped for a moment.

¨Relax!¨ He laughed this time ¨Come on Soph, you can't be a Star Guardian, you wouldn't fit them¨

¨W-why's that? I'm good enough for the Star Guardians¨

¨I mean you are but… I don't know, I can't see you with one of those outfits and fighting those big creatures you know what I'm saying?¨

¨Yeah… yeah maybe you are right¨ she chuckled back, almost uncomfortable.

And so the two of them walked back home, talking about the interesting day the two of them had.

* * *

 **And the club day is finally over, both Soph and Ren had quite a moving day. Now comes the best part as both sides will have to deal with their own problems, whether its with the new team or the Investigation Club.**

 **But many more players will come into this: Zoe, Katarina and of course the Dark Star who is watching this entire thing unfold.**

 **However even bigger things will come later...**

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to follow, fav and review. I am still waiting for the reworks of Kayle and Morgana but I guess that will come in the next PBE cycle (current one has some Papercraft skins)**

 **It is time for some promotion, Discord style: discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **And that's it for today, I'll write some more chapters before going into the other story but for now: This was Tourvelix telling you Sylas's ult is busted but more satisfactory than anything in the world, even more than Urgot's ult (maybe not a lot). That being said I'm off and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	67. Chapter 67

Some days passed since the big announcement, Sophie didn't meet with her old team despite calling her on the phone but what was surprising was that Ahri never called for a meeting, not even messages or anything. Lux was getting anxious, Ezreal seemed to avoid her at any chance and the rest of the guardians noticed this. They tried to calm her but she was getting paranoid at that point and feared her boyfriend was cheating on her.

Another week passed and still no news, Ahri and the others were quite silent but Sophie was curious since there were no attacks from the Dark Star so she decided to spend this down time with her friends, mostly Taliyah who had quite the busy week and they couldn't even talk a lot ever since the announcement.

The two girls met each other by the bird cages on the third floor so no one could bother them, not even the members from the Bird Club (as they decided to call themselves) visited the place outside of club hours.

¨It's unfair… Ahri gets to be a Star Guardian… out of all the people¨ Taliyah was sitting in one of the benches, looking at Sophie who was observing the birds inside of the cages ¨How is she as a leader?¨

¨I wouldn't know, ever since I joined there haven't been any battles, and that's what worries me¨

¨That you might lose practice?¨

¨No, that the Dark Star is preparing something… something big¨ Even if Taliyah couldn't see it, Sophie's eyes were showing some worry, truly the fact that they had some peace it gave them more questions than just a moment of tranquility ¨How's the club doing?¨

¨Lots of people, more busy than ever and with Ezreal being the center of attention…¨ The seated girl stomped the ground for a moment ¨This isn't okay! The club was supposed to investigate the Star Guardians, not to praise them as deities!¨

¨What am I to you?¨ The guardian turned ¨Aren't I like Ezreal?¨

¨Y-yeah well… you two are guardians but your identity is still a secret and I feel like Ez took this whole deal as if he was a celebrity… I'm afraid it got to him¨ Taliyah looked down just to face her friend once again ¨How do you feel right now? With all of this happening? Does the popularity get to you too?¨

¨I feel the same I felt yesterday, a week ago and ever since I became a guardian. Just because Ahri did… _that_ does not mean I will change, even if she orders me to do it¨

¨Promise me you won't let the popularity get to your head¨

¨You know that'll never happen¨ She chuckled.

The two girls turned when they saw that the door opened, it was Ezreal who seemed quite serious. He walked in and looked at both Taliyah and Sophie however he focused mostly on the other guardian.

¨Soph, we need to talk¨

¨Did something happen?¨

¨No… well, nothing bad that is¨

¨So what does a Star Guardian want with a girl like Sophie?¨ Taliyah grinned ¨Besides, where's your fan club?¨

¨Come on Tali, they ain't my fans, they are… interested¨ He saw that his fellow club mate frowned ¨Alright I told them that I needed some space, calm and quiet. They seemed to understand it¨

Taliyah shrugged to the response but Sophie was not certain what his teammate could want ¨Why do you need me?¨

¨Come with me to the courtyard, we need to talk¨ As Ezreal was leaving there was nothing else to be done, the guardian followed him and Taliyah had to do the same but from a safe distance.

As she wanted to follow the blond the girl met with Reginald who was walking around the hallways; after informing him of Ezreal's secrecy the two of them decided to follow the guardian in hopes of finding out what he wanted with Sophie.

From one of the windows on the second floor their eyes followed the two of them. They stopped by one of the trees and started to talk, they could try to make up what they were saying but chances were they would be mistaken.

¨What do you think they are talking about?¨

¨Maybe Ez wants Soph to join his fan club?¨

¨I doubt it, Soph is not the kind of person who would follow Ez, even if he is a guardian¨ Ren commented, tilting his head as nothing else happened aside from the two of them talking.

¨So… how's Riven?¨ Taliyah started with a new topic ¨You two always made a good couple¨

¨She? Uh… she's fine, classes are taking most of our time and outside of this place we don't do much activities, well, except training¨

¨Training?¨

¨Riv thinks I get in danger a lot, which I find it ridiculous¨

¨Your arm says otherwise…¨ Taliyah looked at the bandaged arm, unlike the last time there were some black blotches on the white, even if the girl did not show any kind of worry the people close to Ren were actually afraid that the bite from the creature might affect him, even cause his death.

¨Yeah yeah… in any case she wants to teach me how to defend myself, even crafted me a weapon¨ Ren turned to look back at the scene with Ez and Sophie just to notice some interesting people were walking towards them, it was Lux and Jinx ¨Hey look at that, that's Soph's club mates¨

¨Maybe they want to speak with Sophie? Lux seems a bit ang-¨ The observers froze in place as they saw something they could not believe, a scene that many people were not expecting ¨This is bad… this is REALLY **REALLY** bad

…

 _Some minutes earlier_

¨We barely hear from Soph, I don't like this¨ Lux was tapping the desk rapidly, she was anything but calm and not only with the new team or Ez but also noticed that the Dark Star was not moving at all ¨We need to start patrolling the city and the outskirts, what if there are things out there and no one is doing anything?¨

¨We would know, wouldn't we?¨ Jinx groaned ¨Listen, you need to stay calm, I'm pretty sure all things are doing well¨

¨Yeah but what about Ez? Ever since the announcement he's been acting differently, what if Soph is the last person from their team and they haven't announced it? Maybe that is the reason she put some distance between us¨

¨NO! I mean… no. Have you seen her? Soph is the least one to betray us¨

¨Mh, I guess you are right¨ The leader looked through the window and to the courtyard, her blue eyes saw a big fear on her, both Sophie and Ezreal walking together in the courtyard ¨No…¨

¨What?¨ Jinx saw the same and noticed how her friend was immediately going to follow her boyfriend ¨Lux wait!¨ The rebel followed the blonde as the latter wanted answers to keep her sanity in check. As they arrived to the courtyard the marksman managed to step in front of the mage to stop her in the tracks ¨Look, I know this is a bad moment but there is something I need to tell you, something that involves Sophie¨

¨You were keeping a secret from me?!¨

¨It was mostly a plan, related to the other team. You don't have to worry about Sophie because-¨ Jinx turned before she could finish the sentence and that's when both her and Lux saw what could be the impossible at first but for them it was a nightmare.

Ezreal was kissing Sophie and the latter. It was a few seconds but the moment their mouths separated the expression in the two of them was almost opposite. On the one side the blond was happy that he could steal a kiss off his teammate but on the other Soph was confused, almost frozen in place until she could finally process what happened. In a second she frowned and slapped Ezreal on the cheek.

¨HOW DARE YOU DO THAT?!¨ She then ran back into the building to find shelter in the bathroom and avoid the eyes of everyone in the courtyard, the academy and if possible the world. Jinx and Lux walked towards Ezreal, they were furious and even if they wanted to, killing him was not an option.

¨Hey Lux, sorry I didn't talk to you lately, I was busy¨ He said it as if the kiss before never happened, however the result was expected. Lux slapped him even harder leaving a mark on the cheek ¨OUCH, what was that for?!¨

¨YOU… CHEATING… IDIOT…¨ Lux screamed and ran away back to the classroom.

¨Hey Jinx¨ Ezreal tried to wave (and in a way prepare himself to get slapped) but the rebel did something different from the other two girls, she punched the boy in the stomach making him fall to his knees ¨W-why?¨

¨First Lux, now Sophie… WHY DO YOU HAVE TO RUIN EVERYTHING?!¨ Before she could hit Ezreal once again Janna came from behind and grabbed Jinx from the arms and pulled her away, Lulu and Poppy tried to help their advisor as they were leaving the courtyard.

…

From one of the rooftops a woman smiled ¨Human brains… so easy to manipulate…¨

 _¨I take your idea worked…¨_ A mysterious voice talked to the veteran guardian.

¨Now the other team is scattered and they think their friend is a traitor. That kid won't remember what happened other than his girlfriend will break their relationship soon¨ Syndra turned, facing a student, however the eyes of this one were completely dark as if the body was just a shell for something that was within this innocent person ¨You don't seem pleased…¨

¨ _Your methods, while effective, are not what I need right now. Have the others been training?¨_

¨They are getting stronger, Ahri seems to lead them properly, your creatures surely are prepared as well¨

¨ _Just keep working on it…¨_ The hollow student turned to see the courtyard and all of the students looking in the direction of Ezreal ¨ _What about that girl you mentioned? The one that joined your team?¨_

She is still kept in the dark; her energy won't be of use to you¨ The evil woman chuckled ¨She thinks I don't know, joining the team to spy _me?_ ¨ Once again she laughed ¨Humans are so pathetic…¨

¨ _Does the leader know the truth?¨_ The obscure eyes from the student slightly turned to see the accomplice

¨Depends on what you call the truth…¨ Even if Syndra grinned it was the hollow that frowned ¨She knows what's necessary¨

¨ _Good… Make sure it stays that way. There is something else I need you to investigate¨_ The woman's curiosity rose up ¨ _It is hard to tell but there is a strange source of Star Energy in this place¨_

¨Could it be the root you were looking for?¨

¨ _It is hard to tell since there is more than one. I want you to investigate what's causing it¨_

¨Will do¨ Syndra nodded and the hollow student felt as if something left its body. A clueless person was standing in front of Syndra who was now wielding a judging look on her face.

¨W-what am I doing here?¨ The person looked around and couldn't figure out why he was on the rooftop.

¨You were stalking me. Now get out of here before I call the principal¨

¨Y-yes!¨ The student ran away and left Syndra alone up there.

¨Another source of Star Energy… There must be another one…¨ The guardian walked away from there with a new objective among the ones she already had.

* * *

 **Things will get complicated, the gap between the different members of the original team is getting bigger now and only one person can benefit out of that (or maybe two? :) )**

 **Just because the guardians are now going through a bad time it doesn't mean Ren will have a good time to compensate, trust me he's going to be having some more troubles and his arm will be the proof.**

* * *

 **New chapter, new content, and I'm back to keep thinking how this will continue.**

 **I feel like during vacations I have to finish a lot of the games I have installed. However I just keep downloading new ones. My Steam library has plenty of games that either I haven't finished or didn't even play them at all! But yeah League is keeping me busy with rankeds.**

 **What time is it? It's promotion time** **discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . ) We have plenty of people, writers and readers but we don't always discuss the fics we also talk about other games, art, cosplay, and many more things so don't be shy and hop in!**

 **It's my time to leave; this was Tourvelix to remind you that next week will be the new PBE cycle and we might see Morgana and Kayle (hopefully) until then hope you enjoyed the chapter and don't forget to follow, fav, review. Have a good week and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	68. Chapter 68

Ever since the kiss between Sophie and Ezreal a lot of things changed; the Investigation Club that was full of people because of the guardian it was once again with the same original members except for that young girl who stayed there. The boy was in one of the corners of the classroom, sitting and covering his face with his hands because he knew (despite not remembering anything) that it was over.

Ekko entered into the classroom, hastily as to avoid some of the people that were angry with Ezreal. ¨What did it happen? Everywhere I go I just hear that the vice is now the bad guy. I thought he was a Star Guardian¨

¨Where have you been? Hiding under a rock?¨ Taliyah asked her boyfriend as this one just left his bag in the nearest desk and approached the depressed student ¨Ezreal kissed Sophie¨

¨I DID NOT!¨

¨What?!¨ Ekko was surprised but he couldn't stop to smile ¨How did she taste?¨

¨EKKO!¨ Once again the girl did not expect the question from him.

¨Oh don't worry Ezzy… that blonde witch won't bother you anymore, I'm here to help you and to make you happy¨ Zoe, who was at the side of Ezreal, was resting her head by his shoulder and trying to hold hands with him but the kid was not paying attention to the first year student.

¨So you say you don't remember anything?¨ Ren looked at Taliyah and then back at his friend.

¨It's… I don't know how to describe this but I was in the classroom, then it's all confusing; I do remember being in the bathroom and then the next thing I know I see Sophie slapping me, Lux yelling and slapping me and then Jinx punching me. After that it has been a nightmare for the rest of the day¨

¨It's alright, I'm here for you, don't worry¨ Zoe once again tried to show affection but the guardian raised his head to look at the young one and then back at the other three club members.

¨Who is this girl?¨

¨How can you say that?! I'm your biggest fan! I'm your girlfriend!¨

¨W-wh…what? You're not my girlfriend, Lux is!¨ Ezreal, almost spooked, could not believe that a person like Zoe loved him, more importantly how insistent she was.

¨After today I think you are once again a couple-less student¨ Taliyah commented just for Zoe to barge in immediately.

¨See? Lux didn't love you, I do!¨ The girl was getting close for a kiss but the vice president stood up and thus the first year fell to the ground.

¨You need to help me, I'm innocent¨

¨Everyone saw you kissing Sophie! How does that make you innocent?!¨

¨I believe him¨ Taliyah said and surprised the two other boys ¨What? With all the Star Guardian, magic and the monsters do you think anything like this would be weird? Why would Ez, out of all the people in the academy, decide to cheat?¨

¨Well, he acted weird the first few days after he revealed he was a Star Guardian¨ Ekko started ¨Maybe it got to his head?¨

¨I…¨ Ez sighed as he knew that was true ¨I am not going to lie, it affected me. All this fame and popularity was… something I never experienced and being with someone like Ahri who is like… the MOST popular girl in the academy just… it got to me. But in the end I see the problem… I ruined it¨

¨You really did…¨ Ekko added just to get bumped in the arm by Taliyah ¨What? He actually confessed the truth¨

¨Well… Taliyah is right this seems off, sure you were an idiot but I don't think you would cheat on Lux…¨

¨So what was it then?¨

¨Beats me… but we aren't the Investigation Club for nothing¨ Ren said with determination but that ended quickly as the door to the classroom opened and not only Riven but also Katarina stormed in, they closed the door and the next thing was to punish the `star´ of the day. The white haired slapped Ezreal while the other one just hit him in the stomach, leaving the student on the ground.

¨You… IDIOT!¨ Katarina yelled, stomping the ground and stepping away from the injured boy ¨First you tell EVERYONE who you truly are and now you set up a show where you pretty much cheat on your girlfriend?! Are you an idiot or were you brainwashed?¨

¨I did not… deserve that¨ Ez said, trying to recover his breath. Meanwhile Zoe stood up from the ground to assist her `boyfriend´

With an angry look on her face the young one looked at both Riven and Katarina ¨Why did you do that?! Ezzy did nothing bad to you!¨

¨Who is this girl?¨ Riven looked at Ren, still with some anger from the guardian.

¨Oh… yeah I never told you¨ The president scratched the back of his head ¨So this girl… uh… joined the club with all the flow of students who decided to follow Ezreal. Thing is she claims she is the new girlfriend¨

¨I don't care who she is, take her out of the classroom we need to talk¨ Katarina demanded but no one from the club moved. The redhead groaned and grabbed Zoe by the arm and dragged her out of the classroom. With complaints from the little one she couldn't do anything against Kat's strength and it ended with the student locked outside as the former leader of the ASG locked the door and closed the windows and pulled down the curtains ¨We are in trouble¨

¨Huh?¨ The club members couldn't imagine what the girl meant at first but since she was trying to be secretive then the only reason they could find was that it was something _very_ serious.

¨I want you to investigate the students¨

¨What? Why?¨

¨Do you honestly think that what Ezreal did was on purpose?¨

¨Well…¨ They looked at each other ¨No but…¨

¨Someone is behind it, I sensed something strange with Ezreal and it was not his usual power¨

¨Oh so now you can sense power?¨ Ekko chuckled ¨Is there any other magic abilities we should know about?¨ His smug demeanor was cut short when Katarina walked up to him. He gulped as the green eyes from the assassin showed nothing but a burning desire to kill someone, and the only person reflected in those emerald eyes was Ekko himself.

¨I can kill your in less than five seconds and escape in less than two…¨ Katarina grinned ¨Want me to show you?¨

¨Kat…¨ Riven touched her friend's shoulder and snapped her back to reality ¨We're not here to present ourselves as enemies, this could be troublesome¨

¨So Ezreal can't remember what happened and that was because it was not his usual power?¨ Reginald asked as he tried to fit in all the pieces in the puzzle ¨Maybe he was getting controlled?¨

The redhead nodded ¨That's our main concern, for a long while I kept sensing power in the academy and I thought for a long while it was the artifact we used, sure that source is gone but I still keep detecting something…¨ Katarina turned to all of the club members ¨Hence why I'm telling you this, I want you to investigate everyone in the academy: Students, personnel, visitors, everyone¨

¨Where do you suggest to start?¨

¨Start from the obvious, the new Star Guardian team¨ Riven talked and it was Ezreal who reacted to this, giving a step forward.

¨Wait wait wait, you can't just accuse my team of controlling my movements!¨

¨You sure? Ahri seems like the manipulative one¨

¨I trust them, all they want is to eradicate the Dark Star… they are good people I promise¨

¨If you say so…¨ Katarina rolled her eyes ¨In any case check everyone, if you see anything suspicious let us know¨

¨And what are you going to do with that information?¨

¨Avoid a catastrophe¨ The assassin turned around ¨We are done here. President you're coming with us¨

¨Wait, what?¨ This came out of nowhere, some time ago she wanted to kill him, then she was pinning him against a wall and now she was telling him to tag along ¨Why do you need me?¨

¨Because there is also something important we have to talk about, now shut up and come¨

¨Don't worry, we'll start with the investigation¨ Taliyah confirmed and Ren had nothing else to do but to comply to the two former ASGs.

…

The answers were vague, whenever he tried to ask something Katarina hushed him or Riven said to be patient. Between the bus and the long walk this trio ended up in Katarina's home; still a big surprise for Reginald as he never been there. No one was in the house not even the younger sibling who was still in one of the clubs at the academy.

¨Here…¨ Katarina led them to the basement and into a secret room. Reginald could do nothing but to be amazed at this place that was now a mixture of library and training grounds ¨I hope you brought your blade.

¨What?¨ The president looked at the white haired ¨She knows?¨

¨She's my best friend¨ Riven saw how Ren went for something in his bag and pulled an object covered in wrappings ¨I hoped that by this time you made a sheath or something¨

¨Hey I haven't used it outside of practice¨

¨Good, because now you need to step up your game¨ Ren tilted his head as he removed the wrappings on the blade. The two girls noticed how it emitted a small pulse of energy whenever his right hand touched any part of the weapon, however they decided to remain silent about it ¨There's no lie about it kid, something big is coming and there will be trouble, we don't know what it is or when it will come but you have to be prepared¨

¨Well I have this, it ain't much but it's something¨

¨Then show me¨ Katarina opened her hands and a pair of black and white knives appeared ¨Try to attack me¨

With no tactics or anything else Ren just ran towards Katarina and tried to attack her, however the girl made a swift movement and side stepped, with the tip of the knife she managed to leave a small cut on his cheek, then with her leg she was able to hit him by the knee so the president would lose balance.

The loud thud caused by Reginald made Katarina smirk ¨Just as I expected… a rookie¨ She turned to see the boy getting back on his feet ¨Again¨

¨What's the point in this?¨

¨To train you, in case you didn't know Riven is worried about you. You are known to be in the wrong places so she wants you to defend yourself, so from now on you'll be coming here everyday after club hours to train and-¨ Katarina's words stopped the moment she saw the cut from Ren's cheek to heal rapidly, closing the wound and leaving no mark as if he was never damaged. Her eyes deviated from there and went to the bandaged arm and then to the blade which was still emitting that same pulse only this time it had a bright green color through the cracks where Riven put the pieces together. That's when the former leader had a theory and an idea ¨So far you proved yourself to be weak as you depended on others to protect you¨

¨That's not true…¨ Ren's grip on his knife was tighter, the words of the assassin were taking effect on him.

¨People you care for end up injured because you are there. Riven, the Star Guardians, your fellow club members. You are nothing but an obstacle¨

¨Stop…¨

¨Kat, I think you shouldn't continue¨ Riven's advice was not followed as the girl kept taunting the boy.

¨You started the Investigation Club so you could be useful, but instead you are a puppet to someone bigger, someone who can send you to prison if you do not comply. After all this time you were nothing. The death of everyone will be cause due to your ability to be an obstacle for everyone¨

¨ENOUGH¨ Ren yelled and looked back at Katarina, he felt an incredible surge of power coming from his arm that later distributed everywhere in his body. His eyes changed to the same bright green that was pulsing from the knife and speaking of the weapon, the burst of energy that came from the president also affected the weapon. The broken knife started to reform until it turned into a full sword, similar to the one Riven used back in her ASG days; the weight from his new `toy´ almost made the brown haired fall to the ground ¨What… is this?!¨ His voice sound scared, ignoring the other two girls and focusing on what happened.

¨Katarina what did you do?!¨

¨I did the right thing… it seems your boyfriend is more special than I initially thought. He is weak but with potential¨ The word `weak´ definitely got to Reginald's ears as he looked back at the assassin who was not paying attention as she was focused on her friend ¨My goal was to try and see what he can be capable of, but if I am honest I never expected him to-¨ She couldn't finish the sentence as the student was already charging towards Kat, wielding the weapon much like Riven did, copying her movements (albeit clumsier due to not being strong enough). Similar to last time Katarina tried to move swiftly but this time it was the boy who had the upper hand.

The result was the same, cut in the cheek, fell to the ground but now more exhausted than before however there was also something different as Katarina moved her hand to her own cheek and noticed a wet feeling the moment the fingers touched the skin, it was her own blood. The girl turned and saw Riven tending to the now unconscious kid, she was surprised because in mere minutes Reginald showed a lot of potential ¨Is he really capable of more?¨ She asked to herself as she gave a few steps towards the couple ¨Is that idiot alright?¨

¨He's unconscious… but look¨ She opened one of Ren's eyes and saw that they returned to their original dark color ¨He's back to normal, so is the weapon¨ The sword that once pulsed energy became the fractured knife that Riven made time ago ¨Kat… do me a favor, don't do that again¨

¨You saw that too, didn't you? He is very capable of-¨

¨Don't… I don't want him to suffer, he had enough today¨ Riven grabbed the wraps that were near her and covered the blade just to put it back in her boyfriend's backpack. From there she tried to carry him up ¨We need to take him to his home and you're helping me¨ The dark red eyes from Riven noticed how the same cut Katarina made was once again getting healed, this worried the white haired more than it should.

¨Why me?!¨

¨Because without me you couldn't convince him to come here, you caused him to be like this and-¨

¨Alright alright¨ Katarina made the blades disappear and cleaned the blood from her cheek ¨I'll go find the keys and drive the two of you out of here. Just head to the garage and I'll meet you there¨

* * *

 **Ren has new powers! Though I wouldn't be so happy for him; sure it's something good but... I'll let the story narrate what happens next because even if he managed to unleash this ¨power¨ it will have a consequence.**

* * *

 **ComradeBill:** _So Syndra is bad, well what do I expect anyways -_-_

 **Sorry to disappoint you but in a way I want to believe the rest of the guardians will have a surprise because not only Syndra is evil, she does have some plans and that's what remains a secret :)**

* * *

 **I am happy, you know why? I finally managed to get to gold in LAS and while I know for some people it might not be a big achievement, I plan to go beyond (Plus ultra) and get to platinum. Fortunately my objective this split is complete as I not only got to gold but got all three rewards. Now I'll try to do the same with NA and then focus back on LAS to get to platinum and if possible, more.**

 **If you think I forgot, you are mistaken. Promotion time!** **discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to follow, fav and review, I get happy either way with or without any of those but of course it's nice to interact with people.**

 **This was Tourvelix to remind you that the first split ends on the 21st of April and until then:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	69. Chapter 69

¨She did WHAT?!¨ Janna's eyes opened wide; with Poppy and Lulu listening to Jinx's story none of them could believe it.

¨She joined with Ahri's team to spy on Syndra¨

The four guardians were in the janitor's shack, just so they could have some privacy as well as being able to tie down Jinx to a chair without any other student or professor having a say in it. Ever since the kiss none of the girls could locate Sophie or Lux and clearly the any of the members of Ahri's team.

¨Why would Sophie betray us?¨ Lulu asked, she was worried and thought that the kiss would break the entire team ¨She's our friend… right?¨

¨This doesn't seem right… Sophie is not the kind of person who would do that and even if she did she would've said anything…¨ Poppy frowned ¨No… this is not Soph's doing…¨ She looked at Jinx who was slightly trying to free herself, however the Yordle noticed how the rebel was slightly eyeing her back, as if the words from the guardian were heard by her.

¨She… uh… I don't know, we are close, maybe she didn't want to involve us?¨

¨Do you know anything about it, Jinx?¨ The advisor was the second person in charge when it came to the team when Lux was not available so the title of leader (or sub-leader in this case) fell over Janna's shoulders.

¨Me? Nope¨ She shook her head, trying to protect herself while at the same time protecting Sophie. Even if it looked like a selfish move to save oneself, if her team doesn't involve at all then her friend would have the way clear to spy on Syndra ¨Maybe she was tired of us? Maybe she wanted to take down the Dark Star and since we weren't doing anything then maybe she wanted some action?¨

¨Mh…¨ Janna took a step back, looking at the tools hanging from the walls ¨Maybe that's the case… Ahri and her team have been doing our work… I wouldn't expect less from her...¨ The advisor was lost in her thoughts as both Poppy and Lulu released the marksman ¨Maybe Sophie used the excuse of spying on Syndra because she didn't want to break out hearts by joining the other team¨

¨She is not a traitor though¨ Jinx added, trying to save her friend but there was nothing else she could do.

¨I don't see why we should consider her that¨ Janna opened the door to the shack and saw how a lot of the students were returning back to the building since recess was over ¨Maybe our time is over and let a new generation do the job…¨ She sighed and left, Jinx wanted to say something but deep inside she knew it was not the moment.

The two Yordles were still inside and Poppy was still thinking ¨I still think we are missing something…¨

¨What do you mean?¨

¨Sophie joins Ahri's team to fight the Dark Star? That could be reasonable but I don't see her doing that. Spying on Syndra? She would definitely not do it… unless someone was behind it¨

¨You think someone is controlling Soph?¨

¨No, she did this because she wanted to, someone persuaded her… but I think the true mastermind did not see that kiss coming… I'll have to investigate this¨

¨I know you'll find an answer! You were always an efficient person¨ The two Yordles left the shack to the whole mess that was the academy after that event.

…

Ever since that horrible moment Sophie went straight for the bathroom and stayed there for many hours. Anyone who walked nearby could hear the sobbing and whispers from the guardian but no one decided to help her or anything.

¨Sophie, it was just a kiss, you can't behave like that¨ Shisa was whispering because despite being in a sort-of private place the odd noises the familiar made to foreign ears could still alert someone.

¨It's not _just a kiss_ , it is my first kiss! And it was with someone I don't like!¨ The girl was sitting in the toilet, her face covered by her legs and sobbing every time she remembered that moment ¨How did it happen?! I don't like Ezreal, I never had any contact with him, how could he be in love with me?!¨

¨Does it really matter? There are more important things to do rather than… than that! The Dark Star could be on the move and this academy or anywhere else there could be danger!¨

Sophie looked back at her familiar, her eyes red from crying as the tears were still dropping ¨You'll never understand this. You are a… a _thing_ that never had feelings, you don't know what love is… you never will!¨

¨Exactly, my job is to help you do your guardian duties and as such emotion can't control me, neither should you. Some of the Old Star Guardians went through a certain process to suppress all of their emotions, thus they became more efficient¨

¨Even Janna? Or Syndra?¨

¨I don't think so. In any case you need to stop crying and going back to your _new_ team¨

¨I can't… I don't think I can see Ezreal again… and I'm sure Lux hates me and Jinx…¨ Once again the girl covered her face, tears and sobbing restarting. The door to the bathroom opened and the elegant yet soft steps from someone started to go in the direction of Sophie's stall. The delicate fingers knocked and the guardian had to clear herself to respond ¨It's occupied¨

The person on the other side tried to open it but it was locked ¨Guess I'll have to do it differently…¨ She said and Sophie heard a bag opening. In a second two small creatures came from the bottom of the door; they were white and orange and had three `ears´ on top, one of them had an eyepatch but both did share the small red-dot eyes.

¨W-what are those?¨

¨Familiars¨ Shisa answered, the creature was still angry at Sophie's attitude but could not stop being curious about the other ones that just appeared.

The creatures flew towards the lock on the door and turned it so it could be opened on the other side. And that's what happened, the person in front of Sophie was the red haired marksman that belonged to Ahri's team, Miss Fortune.

¨Ahri told me what happened, she also told me to find you¨

¨Then you can tell her your mission was a success, now leave me alone¨ Sophie tried to close the door but Sarah placed her hand so she could stop the girl from doing it ¨What do you want from me?¨

¨To compose yourself, you need to eat and you can't miss classes¨ The marksman grabbed the support by the arm and helped her get out of that small place, then she dragged her to the mirror to clean her up ¨I wasn't there but there is a lot of talk around the academy; Ezreal truly is in trouble and when I find him I'll give him a lesson or two¨ Sophie started to clean her face. Over the mirror Shisa and the two familiars from Miss Fortune were looking at the girls from above ¨So how was it?¨

¨Horrible¨ The guardian ran her watery fingers against her lips trying to `clean´ that first kiss ¨I don't hate Ezreal but I would never kiss him, especially since his girlfriend is a friend of mine… or well, was, she probably hates me¨

¨I saw Lux running and crying, she is missing however, no one has seen her ever since that apparently¨

¨Wait, Lux is missing?!¨ Soph turned, there were many emotion going through her about this but she couldn't stop thinking of the blonde as her friend and leader as well.

¨She must be in another bathroom or somewhere within the academy, this place is like a prison¨ She chuckled on the last part as she was checking herself on the mirror ¨Look, right now the last thing you want to think about is the other team, Ezreal, anyone else, think about yourself¨

¨Why are you helping me?¨

¨Seriously?¨ The redhead grinned ¨We are teammates, we care for each other, even if one of ours does a stupid thing¨

¨So you won't do anything against Ez?¨ Sophie was scared that he might do that again with the rest of the people in the team.

¨As if! He deserves some punishment and I doubt Ahri would mind or even Syndra. Just because he is the only male in a mostly-female team it doesn't mean he'll get to do whatever he wants, not while I'm here¨

¨Heh…¨ The support couldn't stop but to give a small chuckle. After cleaning her face and trying to look a bit more normal she looked back at her companion ¨Thanks Miss Fortune¨

¨Sarah… we might not be friends but I'll give you a pass to call me Sarah¨

¨Thanks…¨ She knew that maybe her relationship with her former team might be broken now and while she was still in this new team to spy on Syndra she felt that she could trust someone on this new group ¨So what now?¨

¨Now? You need to eat something then go back to class. And don't worry about blondie, if he decides that thing again with you, I'll be there to put him back in his place¨ Sarah placed her arm around Sophie's shoulder ¨Come, I'm sure Ahri would be eager to see you back¨ With a smile on their faces the two girls left the bathroom and went directly to the cafeteria.

Sophie was happy, even if a horrible event happened to her that day she felt that things could start up again and go better than the last time. With new determination the girl knew her objective, this team could be trusted and was already more powerful than Lux and the others and could easily beat the Dark Star, however she felt that something was for the support…

* * *

 **Loyalties change and Ezreal will probably receive more punishment for something he couldn't control. However most of the attention will now be in Reginald who will get more interesting for a few more chapters. Sophie in the meantime will have to get used to the new team while Jinx tries to find a way to solve this while at the same time Poppy will doing investigation work!**

* * *

 **I did it in less than a month. Managed to get to gold in LAS while I'm still going for gold in NA as well, hence why there aren't many updates (Tbh the heatwave, League and other games are just pushing me a bit from the story). However and as always I'll work on some chapters for Heroes & Legends so the next part on Ren's story will come later.**

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter and like I always say, don't forget to follow/fav/review and all those things. Again, as always, promotion time discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **This was Tourvelix to remind you that Kayle and Morg will come in two weeks. That being said hope you have a good weekend and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	70. Chapter 70

¨ _Come on… it's time to wake up… don't make me do it for you…¨_ A voice echoed inside of his mind which in turn made the student open his eyes. He looked around and noticed that he was in his bedroom and not back in Katarina's basement/training ground.

¨What did it happen yesterday?¨ Without remembering much he woke up and went directly to the bathroom to check himself in the mirror. As he found nothing out of the ordinary he opened the cabinet to grab his toothbrush and the paste but as he closed it the boy noticed something in particular, his reflection was doing a wicked smile, something he was not doing at the moment ¨Huh?¨

¨I thought you would be dead¨ Even if it came from his own reflection, the voice that came out was deep and definitely not his ¨It would've been truly unfortunate¨

¨Who are you?¨ Ren was scared as he saw himself but it was not him. He pinched his arm thinking it was a nightmare but for some reason it felt real.

¨Me?¨

¨Yes, you¨

¨I have no name, I'm but two days old…¨

¨What?¨

¨Just kidding… you will know my name eventually, until then I'll be very close to you¨ The eyes from the reflection looked at what seemed the contaminated arm. Despite being bandaged Ren felt something out of it, it was curiosity that led him to remove the soft wrappings and to his dismay something happened. The veins in his arms were more noticeable and had a slight dark purple color to it, pulsing with energy and especially those that were closer to the bite marks ¨Your training from yesterday allowed me to be released, soon my influence will spread to the rest of your arm and then your body… when you least expect it you will only be a mere spectator and I shall be free once again!¨

¨Not if I stop it¨

¨And how would you do it, Reginald? You don't even know what I am, I can also see your ideas, your plans, your past and present. I am everywhere within and trying to cut your arm won't stop the problem¨ The mysterious subject grinned as both of them saw how Reginald moved his index finger, however the student was not the one controlling it, instead it was this other entity who was slowly getting control of the boy's body ¨The more you resist the more painful it will be, surrender to me and I promise you that you won't suffer when I take over¨

¨No… I won't let you win! I-¨

¨ _Reginald, is everything okay there? Breakfast is ready¨_ The voice of his mother made his heart skip a beat.

¨What are you waiting for? Go eat something, I'm starving!¨ The voice laughed as the host started to panic.

¨I need some help… Riven… she'll know something…¨

…

Throughout the rest of the day Reginald tried to avoid this topic with anyone else, even his friends at the club; he sent messages to his girlfriend saying that he needed to meet with her after classes because of a `certain problem´, that was his first option since the second one was actually requesting help from the Star Guardians.

Even though they wanted to meet as soon as possible they were able to arrange a meeting at Katarina's house for another session of training, however instead of doing so they decided to talk about what happened to him.

¨So we had a battle and I managed to hurt you?¨ Ren chuckled ¨That's awesome!¨

¨Ren, be serious, please¨

¨You told Riv that something happened to you, show us our arm¨ Katarina demanded, she still hasn't forgotten what happened yesterday.

Reginald did as told and removed the bandages, it showed the damage caused by the bites and how it was spreading to the rest of the arm, however unlike the morning the veins were not pulsing with energy and felt as if they were calm; the voice inside of his head (or arm) seemed to be asleep as he didn't hear it for the rest of the day.

¨So what caused this was his weapon¨ Katarina went to one of the desks in the basement and opened it to reveal the same knife Riven gave to Ren, however the white haired remembered putting it back into the boy's backpack ¨You made it, didn't you? Maybe there is a reason behind this. Probably your blade had a lot of energy stored and the idiot's power activated it¨

¨What if his arm did it, he said he heard a voice¨

¨Then it's simple¨ Katarina made one of her blades appear ¨We cut his arm and end of story¨

¨NO!¨ Both Riven and Reginald yelled ¨How can you even think that?!¨ Riven stood up to have a one-on-one conversation with her friend, meanwhile Ren was looking at the veins in his arm and follow them with his eyes ¨I am sure there are better ways to deal with this¨

¨Uh… girls?¨ The former ASG members looked back at the student who raised his shirt and they saw how the veins were actually expanding to the right side of his torso and slowly trying to get to the other side ¨There needs to be a solution to this… I… I don't want this…¨ He was scared, not only something wanted to take his body was horrible enough but the fact that he can't fight back was probably worse.

Katarina made the blade disappear and frowned as she placed Ren's knife back on the desk's drawer ¨Unfortunately I can't do anything, my father's notes are nowhere to be found so we are walking in blindly. You'll have to get some help from someone else¨

¨What? The Star Guardians? Do you honestly think Ahri would help me?¨

¨Perhaps you are right…¨

¨I think I know someone who can help you¨ Riven suggested ¨But I'm afraid we'll have to do it on the weekend¨ She turned to Katarina ¨And I'm afraid you can't come¨

¨It's alright, I got better things to do than to be worried about him¨

¨Come, I'll take you back to your place¨ The warrior said and the couple left the house, preparing themselves for the upcoming `meeting´

…

Even if Riven lost most of her power from her days as ASG, she was still able to do some things like flying. With it she carried Ren to one of the rooftops near the city so no one would snoop around; it was night already and the heavy cold winds made that summer day look like late autumn.

Riven was using her using ASG outfit and with the sword to her side, Ren on the other hand was using a jacket that was not protecting him much from the cold.

¨Remind me why we had to come here? Wasn't a café or somewhere warmer a better idea?¨ The president was rubbing his hands as he tried to keep them warm however Riven decided to help and cupped her hands with his; her skin was warm and made the student embrace the girl so absorb the heat that her own body was producing, despite the fact that she was wearing clothes that would not be useful in cold temperatures.

¨Do you honestly think people seeing you with all those veins and a Star Guardian wouldn't attract attention?¨ Riven caressed her boyfriend as her tender embrace tried to keep him warm. The ears of the white haired picked up the sound of someone landing, as she turned she saw the shadow of someone else ¨She's here¨

A person came from around the corner, it was Janna and to Riven's dismay she was alone. The advisor to Lux's team was surprised to see Reginald ¨I know you mentioned that someone needed help, but you could give me more information about it¨ Riven tapped the boy's should and he gave a step forward, revealing the bandaged arm and then removing the covers. Janna's eyes immediately saw what was happening; Reginald was getting corrupted and it was expanding to the rest of his body ¨No… what happened?¨

¨We were training him and… he seemed to unleash something¨

¨I hear voices, something or… someone… I don't know, tries to take over my body… You need to help me¨

¨I… there's so much I can do¨ Janna placed her hands on the arm and chest of the student. She could feel his heart and how it was rapidly beating, he was afraid and she knew it.

The girl's hand emitted a strange wave that seemed to relieve Reginald's heart and the discomfort he felt before was gone, it was as if he was never injured in the first place but when he tried to check for the bite marks or the veins he saw that they were still there, albeit with no glow ¨W-what… what did you do?¨ He looked at Janna who showed the same face full of worry.

¨I tried to heal the corruption, it is dormant now and I want to believe it will stay like that for a while, however my powers are not enough… if only she could be here too¨

¨Not enough?¨ Riven stepped forward, curious at those words ¨What happened to So-¨ Even though they haven't spoken ever since the meeting in one of the rooftops, she still wanted to keep her promise with Sophie about not revealing her name ¨To the other guardian, the one with the horn¨

¨She left us… she joined Ahri and the others¨

¨Wait, what?¨ Ren was a mere spectator but wanted some answers, after all if he was going to meet one of the Star Guardians from the original team then he might as well ask some questions ¨What happened?¨

¨That is a good question…¨ Janna looked back at the warrior ¨Was that all?¨ She nodded in response ¨Okay. I need to warn you however that if that training that you were doing awoke something in him then I highly suggest not to do it¨ The purple haired turned and prepared to fly away from there.

¨Wait!¨ She turned the moment Reginald spoke up ¨Thank you¨

¨Stay safe… both of you¨ With a smile the girl flew away. After some brief moments the couple also left with some relief, although Reginald knew that this solution was not permanent.

* * *

 **The thing in the arm is here and it will haunt Reginald but for now it is asleep once again, don't get mistaken, it will come back, oh it surely will.**

 **Next up will be Sophie and how she develops with her new team as she tries to forget the old one for the sake of her mission, but at the same time she'll have to learn how to work alongside Ezreal, especially after the kiss.**

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to follow, fav and review. There is not much to say today only that college (despite being the first week) that kept me quite busy. As always, promotion time! discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **This was Tourvelix to remind you that next week is a new PBE patch with all the April Fools' content. With that I bid farewell but not before I tell you this:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	71. Chapter 71

The dark sky was covered by clouds and on the ground the sounds of fighting was filling the park as the creatures were going down. The team was getting stronger every day and while the Dark Star was sending more powerful minions the guardians had no trouble taking them out.

Eventually the last `wave´ happened until there were no more, it was a decisive victory and the team was happy about it, celebrating over another triumph.

¨That's the way we do it, Star Guardian style!¨ Ahri said, making the sphere in her hand disappear.

Ever since Sophie joined the new team she felt a new type of connection, rather than seeing her teammates as friends she saw them as comrades, a different type of relationship that focused more on the objective of defeating the Dark Star than anything else. She kept her distance from Ezreal and Syndra, focusing mostly on the latter as she was still `spying´ on the purple haired; the blond on the other hand apologized to her, even explaining that he was not in control of his actions but no one in the team wanted to believe it. One of the good things was that she got closer to Sarah and was probably the only person that would consider a friend, Ahri still felt like a leader and would not dare to approach her in an informal way.

¨Those things surely get more vicious every encounter¨ Ezreal tried to get back some air ¨Yuuto, see anyone else?¨ From the gauntlet a bright light emerged and a small winged creature appeared, its white fur mixed with a bit of blue combined with Ezreal; it looked like a cat but smaller in size and with no legs, only wings. The familiar flew high and circled the area just to return a few seconds later and resting on the explorer's shoulder ¨It is confirmed, no more Dark Star in the area!¨

¨Finally, I was getting bored¨ Sarah made the guns disappear as she flew back to the ground along with the rest of the team ¨If there is nothing else to do I'm going back home¨

¨Same¨ Both Sophie and Ezreal said at the same time and their reaction was that the two of them blushed, however one of them was still embarrassed of the events while the other tried to forget them.

¨No you won't¨ Ahri stepped in front of Sophie ¨Before you go home I want to talk to you¨ The leader looked at the rest ¨If anything happens call me, ok?¨ They all nodded and went onto different directions while the last two remaining girls were going together towards the south gate.

The guardians transformed back to their normal selves and kept walking outside of the park ¨It's been a while since we talked like this¨

¨Yeah…¨ Sophie felt Ahri's arm in her shoulder ¨Huh?¨

¨I know how you're feeling, this thing about Ezreal, your other team… and I've heard you are not too comfortable with me¨

¨W-what?! No no no, I never meant to say anything like that it's just… this feels like something new to me even though I've been a Star Guardian for more than a year now but…¨

¨But you felt better with Lux and the others¨ Ahri sighed ¨I'm not blaming you, you already had synergy, your relationship with them was already established and you were probably closer to some members than the others… right?¨ Sophie couldn't stop but to blush and the leader smiled as she knew she hit the nail on a sensitive spot ¨Don't worry, this might not be the other team but I'll try to help you be comfortable here, even if there's the Ezreal thing¨

¨I don't love him!¨

¨Oh I know, I know… but I suggest that what happened should be forgotten, it won't be easy but I can help you, we are all a team for a reason¨ The two girls kept walking around the city as they were trying to get close to the main street ¨So… Sophie, why did you join the Star Guardians in the first place?¨

¨Well… I guess it was to save people, maybe for a new type of adventure¨ She still remembered the moment the contract was offered, Sophie tried to protect Ahri from getting killed and that's how her journey started. It was ironic in a way since that's what made them `enemies´ in a way ¨What about you?¨

¨It's funny¨ Sophie tilted her head after hearing that from the leader ¨You could've asked me the same thing last year and I would've answered to be famous or to be the most popular girl at the academy, sure I already am but… today my answer is completely different… it's all about my mother¨

¨Larisha?¨

¨Precisely, Syndra told me everything… I'm not going to let the memory of my mother fade away, I'll honor her duty as a Star Guardian and finish what she started: I'll take down the Dark Star… no…¨ She looked at her teammate and smiled ¨We'll take down the Dark Star, everyone is afraid already but we will be the ones to bring their hope back¨

¨Yes… we wi-¨ The guardian got interrupted when her phone vibrated, as she checked the messages it was Jinx who was trying to call her ¨Oh… uh… I need to leave, gotta meet with someone¨

¨Sure, don't forget to call me when you arrive!¨ Ahri waved and smiled at the support as she took a different path back to her house.

…

Sophie arrived to her meeting with Jinx and discussed about what happened lately, however none of the guardians knew that there was someone watching from far away, a small person who's been following the rebel for a while and now she managed to get some answers to her theories.

¨So they were working together… question is why?¨ Poppy whispered to herself, trying to read the lips from the two girls ¨If Jinx is not willing to give me answers then I know someone else will…¨ The eyes from the Yordle went directly to the former member of her team, she knew that Sophie was easier to talk to and with enough persuasion she would spit out all the answers needed to finish this mystery.

* * *

 **This is probably the shortest chapter of them all, Sophie right now is the character that has the slow development while Ren is the one that has all the speedy or more insteresting one.**

* * *

 **There is not much to say, I'm getting busy with college and it often kills my mood to write and at the same time it kills a lot of ideas and/or development for it. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

 **It is a bit late in my time but not for this:** **promotion time! discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **This was Tourvelix to remind you that spring/autumm has started and here it's starting to get cold.**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	72. Chapter 72

_¨Soon, I shall be able to do things you could not imagine, your body will be mine and you won't be a voice, your memory will fade away, your existence shall be something from the past. You will be gone¨_

¨Ren?¨ The voice of Riven brought him back to reality ¨You okay?¨

¨Mh? Yeah… yeah just… thinking a few things¨

It has been a while since Janna helped the president with the problem in his arm, however after a month and a half of happening he started once again to hear voices, however unlike that last time he was still under complete control and the veins that were connected to the bite marks were not that visible yet. The couple was at Reginald's house, studying for some exams.

Riven couldn't stop noticing how her boyfriend's hand went to the contaminated arm ¨It's happening again, right?¨

He looked back at what he was doing and sighed ¨No it's… yeah it's happening again¨ He stood up from his chair and went to the window ¨It's just voices, but it's taunting me… how it's going to take control, how-¨ His words were cut when he felt Riven hugging him from behind ¨There has to be a way to stop this¨

¨I am sure the Star Guardians are working on it, there is so much we can do and as long as you keep away from it, then the thing in your arm shouldn't take over¨

¨But still, I don't want my life to depend on others, not in this type of scenario¨

¨I know… and I'm sorry…¨

…

After the time with the clubs was over, Sophie and Taliyah decided to meet on the rooftop, it has been a while since the guardian informed her friend about how things were going, but at the same time she wanted to keep Taliyah safe.

¨So… how does it feel being in Ahri's team? Did she truly change?¨

¨A lot, the girl we knew from last year is now… _good_ , she is a good leader, knows how to fight… but the team…¨ Sophie sat on top of one of the boxes that was there.

¨You do miss Lux and the others, right?¨ Taliyah couldn't stop but to chuckle ¨I wouldn't be surprised, you were with them for over a year and now you switched sides, or well, you are still on the same side but with a different flag, if you know what I mean¨ But her comment did not make a change on her friend ¨How's the situation with… you know… going?¨

¨With Ezreal? It feels weird, not going to lie, we do work together and all but… I don't know¨

¨From what you told me, Fortune and Ahri seem good friends there¨

¨Yeah but there's also Syndra…¨ Sophie turned her head and saw all of the students leaving the academy ¨Even after spending time with this team, she is a mystery, I try to follow her but for some reason she disappears¨

¨Maybe she knows you are investigating her? Maybe she is spying on you now¨ This quickly attracted the dark haired's attention, probably changing her face from a `neutral´ state to a scared one ¨I-I mean… she seems evil and all but… I don't think she could be _that_ evil… right?¨

¨I… I don't know how to answer that, she looks evil, she speaks as if she were evil but if that was the case then she wouldn't be killing the creatures from the Dark Star¨ She sighed ¨Perhaps that is how she acts but maybe she changed…¨

The door to the rooftop slightly opened and none of the two girls noticed it as they kept talking, from there a mysterious figure came out and closed the door behind it, still not making any noise to alert the students. It started to get close and yet still undetected.

¨Maybe it's for the best, the more people helping with this problem means that the academy won't be attacked as much and probably one day the Dark Star will surrender¨ Taliyah commented, she truly was optimistic about the whole situation.

¨Yeah… but I wish I could talk to the team, my old team I mean, but right now it will be impossible to do it¨

¨Then perhaps you want to reconsider that¨ The two girls got startled when they heard this third voice, they looked up, thinking they would the answer but they had to lower their eyes to find out the listener was a Yordle, in fact someone they knew.

¨P-poppy?!¨ Sophie raised her voice, afraid that their conversation was heard ¨W-what are you doing here?! S-shouldn't you be going back home?¨

¨I wanted to see how things were going, perhaps to check on my teammate who has been absent for a while¨ She turned to Taliyah ¨I also remember one of the rules was not to share the secret with anyone else…¨

¨S-secret?!¨ Taliyah took a step back ¨I… I don't know anything about secret, I was just talking to my friend right here that's all. Now if you excuse me I'll be leav-¨ The girl tried to leave but the moment she tried to move the Yordle summoned her hammer to block the student's path ¨I… I guess I can stay a bit more…¨

¨Now… I want some explanations, what are you and Jinx doing? Why and what do she know? And…¨ Poppy turned to face Taliyah ¨Why tell her our secret?¨

¨Well…¨

Sophie gave the entire explanation to her former teammate; they were cornered and unable to escape from there until all answers had been explained. Only after a few minutes of talking the Yordle felt the need to tell her to stop.

¨That's it, everything up until now¨

¨And Ahri does not want to wipe us?¨

¨She changed… she is different and I know, it is weird¨

¨Even for me and I'm not a guardian¨ Poppy frowned at Taliyah's words ¨S-sorry¨

¨Okay, I understand this whole `plan´ that Jinx had in the making, but what I don't get is… why did you agree to it? Why are you want to help her?¨

¨I… I had my reasons¨

¨Which ones?¨

¨I can't tell, but it is for the best of the team¨

¨I see…¨ Poppy found it hard to believe it but at the same time she knew Sophie was partially telling the truth ¨Then I suppose I'll tell Lux and-¨

¨NO!¨ The guardian was afraid for a moment ¨No… if Lux or the others find out then this investigation could be over, our main objective is Syndra and _maybe_ if she is not suspecting of me then she might have a look into Jinx and the others. You **can't** tell the others about it… please¨

After a few moments of silence the Yordle sighed ¨Fine… but if things get out of control I'm telling everyone, if this ends up in some sort of fight I don't want anyone to… don't make a big mess out of this, I beg you¨

¨Don't worry…¨ She started saying as the small student was leaving the rooftop ¨I won't¨

* * *

 **While Ren is getting worried that the arm might take back control, Sophie talked too much and now Poppy knows about the whole plan as well as Taliyah being in the know about the Star Guardians. The end of the arc is coming soon and a lot of problems will appear!**

* * *

 **Took me quite a while to write, had no ideas or even motivation to do it. I'm going through a nasty cold and unlike the ones I had in the past this one seems to be more annoying and just hinders a lot of progress. I promise that as the arc is finishing the chapters will be longer but for now it is slow, veeeeeeeery slow.**

 **Promotion time! discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **I'm heading to bed right now, this cold is killing me (hopefully not like that) and I need to rest, hopefully the chapters will be longer soon, but as always, I won't say goodbye with my trademark:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	73. Chapter 73

With classes over and the first round of exams also done the apparently-young woman climbed the stairs to the rooftop, behind her a student whose gaze showed seriousness followed suit without questioning the orders from the purple haired.

Once they arrived to the top they overlooked the courtyard, it was slowly getting emptied as all of the young ones were leaving the academy, it was perfect for their next step.

¨It has been a while, but I can say all preparations are done¨ Syndra said with a smug on her face ¨What do you think?¨

 _¨You took all the necessary steps, however your attitude did put suspicion from your very own team¨_ The hollow student replied, crossing its arms and tapping one finger against it _¨Good for you, since your acting has been getting worse over time_ ¨

¨Was I found?¨ But the other person did not say anything and instead the guardian chuckled ¨Your fears are in vain, there is nothing to be worried about¨

 _¨Let me remind you that there is still a team of Star Guardians out there, and most importantly alive¨_

¨So? They are weaker than Ahri and the rest, and they are definitely nothing before me!¨

 _¨After all this years you have been harnessing power…_ _ **my**_ _power, don't you forget that¨_ The person with darkened eyes got closer to the edge and looked at the middle of the courtyard _¨This is the only chance, if you fail…¨_ The student opened his palm and started to close it slowly; Syndra on the other hand felt her throat getting choked, as if that same hand was strangling her. However that warning lasted very few seconds as the hollow opened its hand again and released the guardian from its imaginary grasp _¨Do you think the ritual will be a success?¨_

¨I… truly do…¨ The woman was trying to recover her breath ¨All this training against the monsters was more than enough to charge their gems, some more than others but at the end of the day they are prepared¨ Syndra coughed ¨I am not going to lie about this, lying to Ahri about her mother was fun, and seeing how the other team was devastated..¨ Now she laughed, an evil cackle that could terrify any student that was nearby ¨Humans are _so_ pathetic, they have no idea what is coming for t-¨ The guardian was interrupted when she heard a strange noise coming from the door, it was a musical-tone from a phone; someone was spying on them.

She frowned and one of the orbs appeared to her side which started to get thinner until it became a disc, with that she whipped her hand to the side and thus ordered the familiar to destroy the `shed´ that led back inside of the academy. A lot of bricks and metal flew around but unfortunately for the old woman there was no one, only the sound of the distant footsteps escaping from the scene.

¨Someone… was hearing the conversation¨ Syndra muttered, she clenched her fist and made the familiar disappear; with a look in her eyes that was ready to kill someone she turned to see the hollow student ¨Someone… heard us…¨

 _¨How is it that a kid, who probably isn't old enough to be considered an adult… can outsmart a person of thousand years and with magical powers? Perhaps it was a mistake after all this time to put my trust in you…¨_

The purple-haired walked back to the edge and saw someone running from the building they were, surprisingly for Syndra this was someone she knew and with that a grin appeared on her face ¨Perhaps… this is not as bad as I thought¨ She turned and started to walk towards where the shed was supposed to be ¨I'll get everything ready, by the end of the day you shall be back...¨

 _¨Remember what's at stake… traitor…¨_ And with those grim words the guardian left and the possession ended, thus leaving a confused student looking everywhere.

…

The lights to the bedroom turned on and the redhead left her bag on the bed; she went to the mirror and looked at herself; the makeup was still perfect.

¨Mh…¨ Her lips curled and then she sighed, starting to unpack everything from her bag.

¨Boring day?¨ Another student grinned as she leaned against the doorframe.

¨As usual. The academy has turned quite boring for a while now, it's just a cycle of going every week, take classes, then exams and then vacations¨

¨You sound as if you miss something…¨ Cassiopeia knew what her sister meant, the time when she was an Anti-Star Guardian, during those moments Katarina felt more alive and her attitude was proof of it, however that also gave birth to a more sadistic and violent side from that girl which ended up with her driving herself to madness, bringing a destruction to her own team and then getting hospitalized.

¨I… I don't miss anything, what happened is in the past and now I'm looking forward to the future¨

¨I hope so, last thing I want is to see my… _dear_ sister turning into a killing machine¨ Even though she cared, Cass wouldn't stop teasing, she felt like pushing her finger against an open wound, regardless of how small it was, was a guilty pleasure of hers ¨Speaking of which… how are you?¨

¨Bored…¨

¨You know what I mean…¨

Katarina sighed as she finished unpacking her bag ¨The voices are almost gone but still…¨ She looked to the left and saw the plant, it was dead, then the former leader extended her arm and from there a small vine came out which was slowly moving towards the base of the plant. The process was quite fast and in no time the green returned to the leaves ¨It's not like before¨

¨Just… try not to use them, be a normal girl like you used to be, ok?¨

¨I am trying it's just…¨ She chuckled ¨If you had these powers, would you let them go to waste? Maybe not for fighting but for mundane stuff like… I don't know, skip classes or something?¨ Before the younger sibling could answer the two of them heard the doorbell ¨Can you go? I'm finishing my stuff here¨

¨Let me tell you, if I was invisible I would use my power to spy on other people and use that to my advantage¨ Cassiopeia left the bedroom and went to answer the bell that was still ringing.

Katarina turned and noticed that the other woman was no longer there, with this small moment of privacy she kneeled by the bed and pulled from beneath it a picture. In it there was the whole team of hers, all happy after a victory over some of the Dark Star's minions. It was so surreal that from that moment she ended up like that, and it was all her fault ¨I'm sorry…¨

¨Sorry for what?¨ The voice of Cassiopeia startled the ASG leader who put the picture back underneath the bed ¨There's… uh… some people looking for you¨

¨Where?¨

¨The front door¨

Katarina stood up and walked towards the front, when she opened the door she couldn't believe who was waiting for her. The entirety of the first Star Guardian team, however this time there was Sophie with them.

¨W-…¨ The redhead couldn't speak, this visit was mostly surprising and the presence of Sophie with the rest of her former team was curious, especially since she heard about the guardian working with Ahri and the others ¨What are you doing here?¨

¨Katarina¨ Lux started ¨We need your help…

* * *

 **This was meant to be a short chapter since it's all about the end of the arc, but first I have to set it up for the different parts that will participate. So far it was Syndra and Katarina, next one it will be Sophie, not going to reveal who is coming after that but you can theorize. Once all the intros are done we can start with what really matters, the end of the arc**

* * *

 **Got some free space after I finished some exams, this week I have more but I'll see if I can squeeze in another chapter at the end of the week.**

 **The cold is now gone and I'm feeling a bit better now so I have more energy; that and some free time and I have more to think in the story. I am also happy that I decided to get directly into the end of arc.**

 **It is almost 11 PM but that doesn't matter because it's promotion time!** **discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **My time here is done and as such I bid farewell! This was Tourvelix to remind you that MSI begins next month. With that I go to bed not without telling you my catchphrase:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	74. Chapter 74

The bell rang and the club times were over. Sophie moved to the Geology Club with Taliyah, even though the latter was spending more and more time with the Investigation Club.

¨You don't seem too interested in rocks don't you?¨

¨Not really¨ Sophie said, closing her backpack ¨Besides my mind is just thinking on something else…¨

¨Is it about the…¨ Taliyah looked around, there were still students inside of the classroom ¨…other group?¨

¨Yeah… we get things done but… it still feels different¨

¨I can imagine…¨

The two girls left the classroom and kept chatting, as they were getting closer to the gates of the academy, however the guardian noticed something peculiar, it was Syndra and she was being followed by a student; usually she was alone most of the time and the only people circling around her were the rest of the team.

¨Something seems off¨ Sophie muttered, hiding behind a pillar and looking at the mage from far away ¨Who is that person?¨

¨Who?¨ Taliyah did the same, she found a hiding spot and tried to find out what was her friend looking at, eventually the two of them were looking at the mysterious woman ¨That's Syndra¨

¨No! I mean the one following her¨

¨Never saw it before, but by the looks of it is a student from first year, why?¨

¨Syndra is usually alone…¨ With a lot of curiosity, the guardian decided to follow the other member of her team however she immediately noticed that Taliyah was doing the same ¨What are you doing?¨

¨Going with you, I want to help¨

¨This could be dangerous; I can't let you get hurt¨ Sophie looked at the tanned girl with a worried look on her face ¨Leave, just in case¨

¨Soph, you can't do this, you need my help¨

¨Then what kind of help are you going to provide?¨ Those words left Taliyah speechless but the healer was right, the student couldn't do anything to provide support and anything she would actually do it might interfere and even cause more damage ¨I am sorry Tali, but there is nothing else you can do here, but think that the reason I told you this is to keep you safe, until I can determine how dangerous a situation is I don't want you or any of the others close, if you get injured-¨

¨I know, I know…¨ The girl was not happy with this, a quiet grunt came out of her mouth and proceeded to walk away.

¨(This is for your safety Tali, don't take it wrong)¨ Sophie thought to herself and resumed her task which was to follow Syndra to wherever she was going.

Her silent chase led the guardian to the rooftop of one of the buildings, still inside the academy's grounds. The voice of Syndra could be heard outside so Sophie did her best to eavesdrop the two of them; as such she slightly opened the door.

The conversation gave the guardian a lot of information and the clue she needed. Syndra revealed herself to be a traitor and her plan to help the Dark Star was in motion; however, there was something that did not go well, the phone in Sophie's pocket started to ring and the melody alerted her presence to the evil guardian and the other student.

Before anything else could happen, the girl turned off the alarm and started to run away from there; the sound of bricks and metal crashing behind her, it felt like an explosion caused by a powerful being.

¨Gotta…. Gotta tell Jinx… and the others¨ Sophie said under her breath, escaping from that place and avoiding any chance of encountering with Syndra. Her marathon led the dark haired to the nearest bus, she was able to catch a break there after she knew that the mage was not chasing her; however the moment the vehicle started the girl looked back at the gates of the academy and there she was. The evil guardian grinned back at the support which caused Sophie's heart to race ¨I… I need to find them¨ She pulled her phone and started to send a message to the rebel in hopes of reuniting the team in a single place and explaining what was happening.

…

The meeting spot was Lux' place and the whole team was gathered there, however some of the members were not happy that Sophie wanted to talk to them, especially the leader who lost contact with her former teammate for a while now.

The dark haired student was standing in front of the door of the fancy house, she was nervous not because of what Syndra was planning to do but the fact that she was going to talk to the team again ¨Okay… this should be easy, I explain what's going to happen and then… no, perhaps I need a different approach…¨

The door was opened by a very serious Lux who was not happy to see the guardian in front of her; behind the leader was the rest of the team.

¨What do you want?¨

¨There is something I need to talk about, something important¨

¨We should let her in…¨ Poppy suggested, seeing as Sophie looked scared.

¨She can tell us what she needs to do it from there¨ Lux answered aggressively ¨Come on, spit it¨

¨I…¨ She looked back, still worried that Syndra may have followed her there ¨I can't do it here, I need to get in, for safety¨

¨And then what? Convince the rest of the team to abandon me to join Ahri and the others?¨ This was something no one expected, however both Jinx and Poppy were confused at that accusation ¨I heard rumors that you joined Ahri's team, I wanted to believe those were lies, but then you disappear out of nowhere and then what? You kiss **my** boyfriend! DON'T YOU HAVE ANY RESPECT FOR A FRIEND?!¨

¨N-no, wait!¨ But before Sophie could explain the door closed in front of her ¨I… I never wanted it to get to this… I'm sorry Lux… everyone…¨ Tears started streaming down from the girl's face ¨I agreed on a plan to help everyone, to keep them safe… But it escalated to this, and there was no turning back but I never… NEVER would betray any of you¨

There was silence from the other side of the door.

¨I would never kiss Ezreal, he is your boyfriend, I know that! Truth is… I don't like him, for I like someone else and-¨

After that statement the door wildly opened but it was Jinx who did it, the crazy look on her face felt like she was going to kill someone. The movements were fast and the marksman grabbed her friend by the arms, holding her tightly ¨WHO?!¨

¨I-I-I-I-¨

¨So you would never kiss Ezreal?¨ Lux asked, crossing her arms; the response was just a shook coming from Sophie's head ¨So why did you abandon us then?¨

¨To gather information about Syndra, Jinx and I were worried that she might be hiding something… and we were right¨

¨Wait, really?!¨ The cyan haired widened her eyes, she then released the guardian and took a step back with the rest of the team.

¨Yeah, the other team kept fighting against monsters and charging their gems for some sort of ritual, also Ahri's mother is not that old guardian, Syndra was lying all along!¨ The rest of the girls looked back at Janna, she was thinking now, deep in this thought about the leader of the other group ¨We have to get back to the academy, and fast!¨

¨Do you think Ahri and the others are aware of this?¨

¨I highly doubt it, they are puppets and if we don't do something about it they will die!¨ Now everyone turned to Lux, she still looked serious but after nodding her face they all felt like the blonde was determined to get this over with.

¨Alright, I'll get the keys to the van, if this is going to get big then we'll need a lot of help¨

¨Shall we call Ahri and warn her?¨ Lulu, who remained silent throughout the entire conversation spoke up with an interesting suggestion.

¨She wouldn't believe us… no, we need someone else…¨ The mage's hand went directly for her cheek, remembering a past encounter ¨Everyone get in the van, I'll drive us to _her_ house¨

¨ _`Her´?¨_ The rest of the team wondered as Lux left the front door to search the keys.

…

The fast trip led the group to The DuCouteau's home, after getting past the fence the six girls were waiting by the entrance, out of everyone it was Sophie the one that was the most nervous, the others (while not completely calm) were able to show some more composure.

¨If no one is home then we'll head directly to the academy, there is no time to waste!¨ Janna said and everyone else agreed.

The door opened and the person who was on the other side was no other than Cassiopeia, looking at all of the guardians with a smug on her face ¨Well well well, if it ain't our saviors, what brings you here?¨

¨Where's your sister? We need her¨

¨Are you planning on beating her again?¨ The smug woman shrugged ¨Yeah I'll tell her to come here¨

After waiting for some moments the redhead appeared on the door ¨W-what are you doing here?¨

¨Katarina¨ Lux started ¨We need your help…¨

¨Wait, **you** need **my** help?! Out of all the people?!¨

¨You know how to fight plus you are also informed on the Dark Star threat¨ The leader commented ¨Get your stuff and get in the van, we are leaving for the academy¨

¨Hold on a moment, answer me this: One, what is happening. Second, why are you using that van? I mean you are Star Guardians, aren't you? Don't you fly?¨ The whole team looked at each other, Katarina was right.

¨T-that doesn't matter now¨ Sophie was the one who interrupted ¨We'll explain on the way! We will also need Riven for this¨¨

¨Okay okay, let me do something first¨ From her pocket the leader of the ASG pulled her phone and raised a brow ¨Are you some kind of seer? Riv is calling me right now¨ She answered the call as if they had all the time in the world to spend ¨It's me, where you- huh? Is something wrong over there?¨ Her eyes widened ¨Where? The academy, okay, I'm going there and with reinforcements¨ She ended the call and looked at the whole team ¨There are monsters at the academy, Riven is there already, and with your friend, the club president¨ The assassin pointed her finger at Sophie who was now even more worried.

¨Ren?! Oh no…¨

¨Well what are we waiting for?! Let's get there before that snow-head takes all the fun!¨ Jinx was excited, but deep inside she was a bit afraid, nonetheless that won't stop her to rain down fire against the minions of the Dark Star.

…

The bus stop only had one passenger waiting, the cars weren't passing and neither any of the buses, she was going to get home late.

¨Dangerous situation…¨ She tapped the ground ¨I've been in plenty of dangerous situations already, this is no different!¨ Taliyah was angry, being denied of helping her own friend by that same person ¨I'll show her how I can be useful¨ The student stood up, as if she was going to do something else but then immediately she sat down again ¨Who am I kidding, I can't do much about this¨

¨You seemed troubled, child¨ A soothing voice caught the attention of the young one; as she turned her head she saw a woman, her mere presence calmed Taliyah but felt that something was off ¨What seems to be the problem?¨

¨Who are you?¨

¨Just an observer, I see many things… and people, including you¨

¨Are you a stalker?¨

¨I would be a helper, and you my child need it¨

¨I don't need help, I just want to be more useful for my friends¨ Taliyah leaned forward, trying to avoid the gaze of this newcomer.

¨Oh? And why is that? Everyone can be useful in their own ways¨

¨Not me, my friend is… special, and I want to help her all the time, however because of this `special´ thing she can do so much more things… things that I wish I could do too¨

¨Like being a Star Guardian for example?¨ Those words immediately attracted the student's attention who turned its head and put all of her focus in this stranger ¨You don't need to be a Star Guardian to help someone, people can be happy with or without powers¨

¨I know but… I feel useless¨

¨Then perhaps I can help with something¨ The woman placed a hand on Taliyah's shoulder.

The tanned girl felt something strange within her, as if there was something warm was coursing through her body and wanted to escape. It was confusing at first but for some reason she felt different, even if she couldn't find the words to describe how that was ¨W-what happened?¨

¨I undid the last seal, perhaps now you won't feel too useless¨

¨What is that supposed to mean?¨ Before the stranger could reply the two of them saw a van turning around the corner; inside was the Star Guardian team and heading towards the academy ¨Wait… was that… the guardians?!¨

¨Go help them, they require all possible help¨

¨Thanks for the kind words stran…-¨ Taliyah's words trailed off as she turned and saw that the woman was no longer there, no signs of her being there, nothing; it was a ghost that suddenly disappeared ¨…ger¨ Before she would set her path towards the academy, the student felt a nasty headache, a soaring pain that came with strange visions ¨What… is this? I… I must follow them, and fast¨ The pain was getting bigger but there was no time to lose, for her, for the guardians and for anyone.

* * *

 **Oh boy, this is getting interesting, next chapter it will feature the last couple that is missing: Riven and Ren, however things at the academy are not looking well and you'll know it in the next part.**

* * *

 **Well, it is time for me to hit the bed, This chapter is longer than the previous ones so I feel like I was inspired for this (sort of)**

 **Even if it's getting close to 1 AM it is never too late for** **promotion time!** **discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **This was Tourvelix to tell you Happy Easter!**

 **Now yes, I am out but I won't forget to post this:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	75. Chapter 75

There was silence in the classroom, the club had no new information and everyone spent their time doing basically nothing. Ekko taking a nap, Ezreal was playing with his phone while Zoe was looking at him from a safe distance (safe for the blond that is). Meanwhile Riven and Reginald were together, the former examining the latter's arm.

¨Anything?¨

¨Everything seems normal… you know, nothing that stands out¨ Riven's eyes kept going all along the arm. She felt some power coming from the limb but it was weak, that was a relief for her as the `thing´ that terrified the president was not active ¨What about you? Anything out of the ordinary?¨

¨Not really, some itching and probably the arm going stiff for a few seconds, but after that nothing out of the ordinary¨ Ren noticed that the white haired looked worried ¨Why the long face? If it's about this then you shouldn't worry¨ He raised the affected arm and smiled, however that did not change the view from the warrior ¨Riv, come on, what's the matter?¨

¨You are taking this too lightly, if it ever comes back then… how do we know we can counter it?¨

¨Well that guardian helped me didn't she? If something bad starts happening I will tell you and we can meet her once again¨ Despite Reginald's optimism the white haired still remained worried as she stood up and grabbed her bag ¨Seriously, what's wrong?¨

¨Nothing Ren… nothing…¨ She muttered and left the classroom. Even though the president wanted to follow her the bells rang and the sleepy student woke up.

¨Alright, another day in the club, another good sleep that I have¨ Ekko stretched and grabbed his bag ¨You know prez, no offense or anything, but the club has been boring for quite a while now. The Star Guardians, the original ones, are missing and if we want to investigate the new team we'll just have to browse Ahri's blog and it will tell everything about their fights and some other stuff. Besides we got Ez here!¨

¨Well it would be useful if he told us anything about the other team, like… their names for example¨ It was true that the guardian had information about both teams, however when it came to revealing their names he remained completely shut.

¨I told you, it is a promise I am going to keep with the members of the other team¨

¨Yeah! Don't ask him such stupid questions!¨ Zoe replied, trying to defend the vice president.

They remained silent, not expecting the response from the young girl. Reginald, Ezreal and Ekko looked at each other, almost confused as to what was the girl's role in that place ¨Remind me why she is here…¨

Small discussions happened and the three club partners decided to leave. Unfortunately for Ren he couldn't find Riven anywhere, probably the fact that there were close to no more students in the academy made him give up on his small search.

The three of them stood on the outside of the main gate, waiting for any bus to arrive.

¨I swear, these exams are killing me, can't wait to graduate and go live my life!¨ Ekko groaned, looking at the road but so far no public transport in sight.

¨You ain't planning to go to the university?¨

¨Oh right, I forgot about those…¨ They chuckled at the boy's mistake ¨What about you? Will you go to universities?¨

¨That's the plan, mom and dad are already making me look into potential ones¨ Ezreal commented ¨Though I am still uncertain on what I want to do¨

¨I'm on the same boat to be honest, still don't know the where or what. Truth be told I hope the year doesn't end like this, you know? Since last one we had a lot of…¨ Reginald's voice trailed off when he felt something strange, in fact the three of them did. The wind picked up and it all flowed towards the inside of the academy ¨…fun… did you notice…?¨

¨The wind? Yeah¨ Ezreal answered, looking at both sides ¨Something is not quite right…¨

¨Do you see anything? Any monsters?¨

¨Nothing… but I feel something nearby…¨

Ekko turned and looked to the inside of the academy and found what the other two did not see at first ¨Uh… guys?¨

¨I should call Riven¨

¨And I'll call the rest of the team¨ Both Ezreal and Reginald pulled their phones and started to type some messages down.

¨I think I found someone from your team, vice¨ Clearly those words gave the heads of the club some confusion, they looked at Ekko and then to what he was seeing.

Their eyes caught Syndra who was donning her Star Guardian uniform and was floating, channeling some strange energy from the orbs.

The students felt attracted to it, whether it was curiosity or a weird spell, they got inside of the academy once again and the gates closed behind them, leaving the students trapped inside. As they were getting closer Reginald could feel a strange itch coming from his arm, it was similar to previous experiences however this time the itching turned into a burning sensation.

¨Woah Prez, you ok?¨ Ekko tried to help his friend who was not having a good time, on the other hand Ezreal was still getting closer to the mage ¨W-wait, what are you doing?!¨

¨Syndra!¨ The blond attracted the attention of the advisor of the team ¨What are you doing?¨

¨I am glad you are here, boy¨ From above the purple haired woman grinned ¨And it seems you also brought your peculiar friend¨

¨Me?¨ Ekko tilted his head as the woman looked in his direction.

¨The _carrier_ ¨ She moved her hand forward and by force of magic she pushed the dark-skinned boy away against a wall and left Reginald alone, burning with this pain ¨I am surprised you managed to survive this long, but it seems the other guardians did have a few tricks to help you contain it¨ Syndra was slowly floating towards the president but Ezreal stood in her path, holding the transforming gem in his hand ¨Oh? Is there a problem, boy?¨

¨Yeah, what are you doing?! What is this… thing you are doing in the courtyard, why is Reginald a carrier? I _insist_ you give me some answers¨ The blond frowned, not trusting where this was going; if he had to choose between his teammate and his friend he would definitely go for the latter.

¨You… **insist**?¨

¨Yeah… I insist¨

¨Such a fancy word for a boy who is about to disappear¨

¨What?¨

The woman frowned and pointed at the guardian who immediately transformed to attack back, however he did not expect the spheres from the mage to push him to the side, leaving the president defenseless. Syndra had that smug on her face, despite her original objective not being the student she knew how her master wanted him. As the distance between the two of them was disappearing the pain from Reginald's arm was becoming more unbearable as the mage acted as the source that could help the infected limb to react.

¨It is surprising that a useless tool ended up becoming interesting. You should be glad; the master will finally have a proper use for you¨

Her hand was about to touch the pained arm but Syndra felt something, a source of power going towards her, or rather falling. As she looked up the purple haired saw a sword and behind it an angry warrior ready to cut the hand before it could touch the president.

A swift movement and the guardian backed away, returning back to her original position and with that the spheres that attacked the blond before.

In front of Ren was the former ASG, ready to protect her boyfriend against this new threat ¨What are you doing here?¨ Riven asked without breaking eye contact with her enemy.

¨I could ask you the same¨

¨Doesn't matter, take Ekko and get out of here, now!¨

¨The doors are locked, we are trapped inside the academy¨

¨Then take Ekko and look for some shelter!¨

¨No way, I'm going to help you¨

¨AREN'T YOU LISTENING?! IF I TELL YOU TO-¨ Riven looked at the boy for a second and when she tried to spot the mage back the white haired noticed that she was no longer there ¨Where did she go?¨

¨Not too far…¨ The evil voice from Syndra startled the couple; she was now floating to the left of Reginald. Before the ASG could do anything against the guardian she was pushed away to the other side of the courtyard, crashing against one of the trees and causing some serious damage to it ¨Such an annoying insect…¨ She turned back to the scared boy; the fear outweighed the pain in his arm and the beatings from his heart were deafening, almost as if any sound other than his heart and the voice of the advisor were only audible ¨With the ritual in its initial stages, I just need to wait for the others to come… one won't be enough¨

¨What are you planning to do?¨

¨Making me talk like some cliché?¨ She chuckled ¨Do not worry you shall see soon, but for now…¨ Without hesitation Syndra grabbed Reginald's arm and sent surges of energy towards it. There was pain, one that he has never felt in his entire life, it was excruciating and anyone would rather ask for death than the torture he was feeling ¨You were always looking for answers, now you will have them¨

Reginald opened the other hand and felt something touching his palm; by instinct he slowly closed it again and grabbed what seemed to be a grip. In mere seconds it took form and the same blade that Riven had before materialized. This gave nothing but a pleasant surprise to the mage who looked down at the fully-formed blade, it was full of energy and the source was on the same arm that the guardian was holding.

¨A sword? Very curious… but let us see what you can accomplish¨

¨S-stop…¨ Even if the student was begging the mage continued, pouring large amounts of energy onto the trapped limb.

The mage's happy demeanor stopped the moment she saw a pebble flying in her direction, it was a useless attempt since she just had to tilt her head a bit to evade said projectile. Her eye went directly for the one who threw that, it was Ekko who was still holding a bunch of rocks in his hand.

¨Uh… you… release the prez!¨

¨Seriously? Rocks?¨ She grinned once again ¨Tell me kid, what are your last words?¨

¨M-my last words?¨ Syndra prepared her spheres to finish the club member but before she could use them a familiar voice struck her ears.

¨Gawk at this!¨ A light blue projectile flew in the guardian's direction and even though she turned the girl was not fast enough to dodge it and thus it impacted on her shoulder, leaving a small burning mark on the skin that was slowly regenerating as if nothing happened. The evil one frowned at Ezreal ¨Uh… that… did not work¨

¨You surely know how to annoy people…¨ Syndra looked at the student that she was still holding ¨I am afraid I will have to attend some other business, until then…¨ A swift movement was enough turn her whole body and throw the president against Ekko.

He couldn't dodge him and both kids were flung away with immense force against one of the trees. Surely the club member would get decimated by the impact but a white flash was rapid enough to push them away from the course of collision and into the ground. Riven looked at both Reginald and Ekko, especially the former who was still holding onto the sword and especially the cursed arm who was now having a strange green glow, all the veins expanding to the rest of the limb as if it were trying to infect it.

¨You two, get out of here. NOW¨

¨No way...¨ Reginald used the sword to stand up again, his other arm was limping and at the moment unusable ¨I can fight, I **will** fight¨

¨With one arm?!¨

¨Prez, she is right, you can't do anything¨

¨Ren…¨ Riven held the brown haired by the still-working arm ¨Is this worth it? Is your life worth the risk? What if you die?!¨

¨Well you could die too! And I don't want that Riv… not after all we've been through¨ The ASG said nothing, instead a small tear dropped from one of her eyes ¨Let. Me. Help¨

But she shook her head and turned to Ekko ¨Keep him safe, and make sure that he doesn't get in the fight¨

¨Will do!¨ Even though Reginald wanted to participate his body was not in a good state as the powerless boy started to drag his friend away from the courtyard and towards a safe spot.

With him safe there was only Riven, Ezreal and Syndra in that place, the last two fighting against each other even though the mage was mostly directing the spheres at the marksman who was teleporting from one spot to the other, dodging every possible projectile as he also tried to fire some back at the villain. The white haired got in position behind the advisor and waited for her to have her back unguarded, unfortunately she noticed it and tried to push Riven away.

Syndra flew back to the middle of the courtyard where the ritual once started, the blond and the warrior stood on the front and behind the mage, waiting for any movements from her in order to act.

¨Look at you two, insects trying to defy your master… Do me a favor and bow before me¨

¨Y'know I always thought you were the type of person who would call herself a queen, then again we got Ahri in the team…¨ Ezreal countered with his witty response, though it did nothing but to enrage the mage a bit more.

¨Stop this charade, we came here to defeat you!¨ Riven aimed her sword in the direction of the purple haired, ready to dodge in case of an incoming attack.

¨Good luck then…¨ The spheres started to spin around the woman until they hit the ground with such force that it created a cloud of dust that blocked the vision of both Ez and Riv ¨It will be a shame, you won't see me destroy your pathetic and insignificant bodies…¨

There was silence at first, as if both Ezreal and Riven disappeared but then from Syndra's left something came flying towards her. It was a projectile, not the one from Ezreal but one that resembled a bullet. A swift hand movement and a sphere moved to absorb the incoming threat. That was not the only one since from her right another thing appeared, this time a knife that was in the direction of the mage's head, however once again a sphere absorbed the blade like nothing.

After that a strong purple wind came and blew the entirety of the dust cloud, revealing that the marksman and the warrior were still there but not on the same spots. The three of them weren't alone anymore; to the left was Ahri, Miss Fortune and Ezreal, all ready to fight their advisor; to the right were the old Star Guardian team along with Riven and Katarina, the latter on the front and with a knife that was materializing in the empty hand.

¨All of you? Against me?¨ She grinned ¨Just like old times it seems…¨

¨This is over Syndra, your actions end here!¨ Lux demanded, standing in front of her team but behind the redhead assassin.

¨I trusted you… and this what you do? You hurt our own team and innocent people?!¨ Ahri was heartbroken, her teammate was now her enemy and that also meant that what Syndra said in the past was a lie, she did kill Larisha and she did it consciously ¨My mother died… because of you… the time to avenge her has come¨

¨You have no idea…¨ The mage muttered ¨But since everyone is so interested in taking me down… let me show you a trick that I've been keeping for a moment like this¨ Syndra's eye turned from that dark purple to a more vivid one, it had a strange and unearthly glow. From that eyepatch the veins were turning into a dark color and were expanding to the neck and then to the rest of the body ¨My master gave me this power to defeat my former team, and I will use it again to defeat two new groups…¨ Her voice took a strange turn, it sounded more demonic-like, similar to how the minions of the Dark Star.

¨Quit talking, queen¨ Katarina said cockily ¨If you are _so_ powerful, how about you show us what you can do?¨

¨Uh… Kat, I don't think that is a wise call¨ Lux suggested, even though they had an advantage in numbers they had no idea how powerful she could be, not even Janna who experienced it before.

¨My pleasure…¨ Syndra grinned once more and many more spheres were summoned around her.

* * *

 **Took quite a while but damn it is done.**

 **I really enjoyed writing this and the next part, oh my. We are getting close to the end of the arc and things will get worse, at least for the guardians. Meanwhile Ren and Ekko are observing this battle unfolding and Taliyah is trying to make her way to the academy. It will be interesting.**

* * *

 **College stuff, games and other things. I had some of the chapter written over the last week an finally managed to finish it this week, now I don't know when I'll be uploading the next one (mostly because I need to think the fighting scene, A LOT) so can't promise when.**

 **So League stuff, Yuumi, I love cats and this one is very cute, even if I don't play support anymore.**

 **We talked about what happened, League and now it comes to everyone's (not-so) favorite time. Promotion!** **discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to follow, fav and review. I get happy when I see one of those in my email.**

 **This was Tourvelix to remind you we are on MSI dates and we can choose one of the four houses, with that being said I am out and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	76. Chapter 76

The pain was still there, lingering, but she had to get back to the academy to help the others.

¨Just… a few blocks away…¨ Taliyah told herself as she tried to keep moving, it felt like ages for her and the distance didn't seem to change. The girl fell to her knees, unable to go on due to the unbearable pain, it was like a headache at first that went to the rest of her body as if millions of needles were attacking her ¨It… has… to stop…¨ The dark skinned girl looked to the front, her objective was too far away ¨I need to go there fast… I... I can't¨ She whispered and placer her hands against the pavement.

Suddenly the world seemed to go quiet, there was no one around here not even cars that were nearby. Taliyah looked around and noticed that the pain had also stopped, as if it hasn't been there before. Her eyes went back to the ground and saw how some pebbles were shaking, but there was no earthquake nor movement around that could cause it, she extended her hand and this small rock was pushed away from her without even touching it.

¨What?¨ She slowly stood up ¨What's been happening to me?¨ The student tried to remember the conversation she had with the stranger some minutes ago, it still made no sense in her mind ¨What did she mean by last seal? Who was she? How am I going to be able to help the Star Guardians if I can't even get there fast!¨

That was when something odd happened to her, she felt the ground beneath her tremble. Now it felt like an earthquake but different in a way, she was about to fall again but managed to keep balance however Taliyah couldn't stop noticing something off, she was taller. On a quick inspection nothing seemed to change about her except that the ground was not in place, instead it was floating over a strange peach-colored cloud.

¨W-what is this?!¨ She tried to lean forward to have a better look but that just made her floating board move in that same direction ¨Oh… ok so if I do this…¨ The brown haired leaned to the left and then to the right, the board did the same, following her every movement ¨Could this be what she meant by not being useless?¨ Taliyah still question it, looking at her own hands and then at the ground ¨Maybe… I can do more things?¨ She shook her head ¨I'll figure them out on the way, now I have to get to the academy¨

She leaned forward and the board started to move in that direction, however it was going very slow and it gave the impression that walking was faster than that.

¨Come on… it can't be that dull!¨ She tapped her board but nothing happened, that's when she tried to point forward, as if her method of transportation was actually sentient ¨Go forth!¨ Suddenly a strong wind was summoned and pushed both Taliyah and her makeshift transport in that same direction ¨That's what I'm talking about!¨

The girl was soon to arrive at the academy, her plan right now was to help the Star Guardians but the how was still not decided.

…

The battle between the two teams and Syndra had already started and despite being a single person the mage was able to hold both groups at bay. However even if there was a number disadvantage the purple haired started to open portals from which emerged a lot of minions from the Dark Star, some who the guardians and even the ASG have fought before.

¨You have got to be kidding me!¨ Jinx yelled, firing her rockets at some of the creatures but they won't stop coming no matter how many they were killing ¨Someone close those damned portals!¨

¨Already on it!¨ Ezreal answered and teleported in front of the gate ¨Alright Yuuto, let's show them what we can do¨ A high pitched affirmative sound made the blond smile as his gauntlet started to charge with energy. He aimed his arm at the entrance of the portal and released that energy in the form of an arc that went deeper and destroyed a big chunk of the monsters. The portal immediately closed and the guardian had to fly again to avoid getting hit ¨One gate down!¨ He informed to both teams and earned an angry look from the evil mage.

Katarina kept mowing down the creatures with her knives without knowing that one of them would be trying to attack her from behind. The shadow from the minion attracted the attention from the red haired who didn't have enough time to block but fortunately for her Lulu was able to cast a shield on the assassin, protecting from any damage the monster could've done ¨Nice work, midget¨

¨Midget?¨ Lulu tilted her head, not sure how to respond to that word.

¨We are Yordles and you know that!¨

¨Yeah yeah, whatever¨ Katarina looked at the battlefield and saw how there were still many of the creatures alive, she then looked at Janna and how she was using the wind to push the enemy away ¨Hey purple hair!¨ She called out to the support ¨Do me a favor and round everyone with a tornado, I have an idea¨

¨Is it so hard to treat us as allies?¨ Regardless of that comment Janna channeled the power of the winds and created a tornado that was moving around the courtyard and started to suck in the monsters. The violent current headed away from the main battle and this allowed Katarina to dash and getting captured by the tornado; she grinned as the plan was going as predicted.

In between her fingers a lot of knives started to appear and used the force of the wind to direct the knives at all the minions from the Dark Star; all of them hit the targets and the tornado lost its strength, making the assassin and the now lifeless enemies fall to the ground, even though the former landed gracefully. With a smile on her face the redhead twirled one of the knives with one hand ¨So much for target practice…¨

Meanwhile Lux used that opportunity to attack the remaining gate, she channeled a lot of star energy to her staff and used it to emit a powerful beam that destroyed anything that was going to get through and in the process closed the door.

With both portals closed Syndra was once again alone and had to fight against her newer team. Ahri was in the front while Miss Fortune and Ezreal were on the back, aiming their weapons at her.

¨Why?!¨ Ahri raised her voice, the orb in her hand pulsing with power ¨We were a team… and you betrayed us… you betrayed my mother!¨

¨Oh please… I expected you to be gullible but this?¨ Syndra chuckled ¨You fell over every word I told you. Do you honestly think your mother was a Star Guardian? Larisha did create another star, but it was definitely not you, especially since I destroyed it before it could even grow!¨ Those words made an impact on Ahri but especially Janna who heard that as well ¨Oh I am sorry my former teammate, it is a shame you'll never see what that thing could've been capable of¨

¨No… but… Larisha… and Taelia¨

¨The other star is missing, but worry not, once I am done with all of you and my Master consumes this world, I shall have all the time in the world to search for that stray sheep¨

¨So… wait so if Larisha is not my mother and I'm not a Star Guardian… who then?¨

¨Gullible _and_ idiot? Your parents were the same ones you knew for years, it was all a lie and I can't believe you didn't even doubt a single word of it¨ Syndra grinned, she was enjoying how Ahri's mind was getting twisted, she was played all along and it helped the mage get to that point ¨Don't feel sad about it, if anything you and your teammates did help me on the grand scheme of things¨

¨Grand scheme? The only scheme I'm seeing here is Boki and Baki turning you into some old cheese¨ Sarah was equally furious, the fact that Syndra lied to Ahri was not the biggest issue but she loathed those who betrayed her.

¨Old cheese you say?¨ She chuckled once again, making both Ezreal and Miss Fortune angrier ¨You thought you got your powers because you are chosen or something? Pathetic, you were just the proxies to charge the gems¨

¨What do you mean?¨ Ezreal was confused, he took a step back, not knowing what the mage would be capable of.

¨Let me explain to you: Every time you were using your abilities the gems were charged with star power, this one will then be given to my master. Think about this: You three trying to `save´ the city and its people was nothing more than a front to help the Dark Star¨

¨SILENCE!¨ Ahri replied angrily ¨I don't care what you say anymore but we'll finish that Larisha and the other started; we'll take you down and then the Dark Star¨

¨Yeah!¨ Both Ezreal and Sarah replied at the same time.

¨Team… attack!¨ The leader ordered and the three of them moved forward to attack the mage.

Syndra used her spheres to try and stop the guardians but they were dodging it, she thought it was impressive but the moment they were very close the evil woman grinned, it was too late.

Janna noticed this ¨YOU THREE, DON'T GET CLOSE TO HER!¨ She yelled and while the trio did hear that it was over.

¨Pathetic…¨ Syndra raised her hand and the guardians were stopped in place, their throats were running out of air as if they felt like the purple haired was strangling them ¨I should be thankful that you decided to go after me rather than letting me do it¨ Her voice, still partially demonic, penetrated into the team's minds.

Ahri, Sarah and Ezreal were feeling weak, their energy was being drained just like their powers. The three of them returned back to their normal selves as the gems that they used to transform were now floating in front of them, used as a connector between the students and the mage.

¨It seems that despite using the gems your bodies managed to retain some of that star power, but fear not, I shall take all of it… even if it means draining your very own life essence¨

¨Enough!¨ Janna yelled, along with the rest of her team and the ASG they were ready to stop the evil mage ¨You've done enough Syndra, you will pay for what you did¨

¨Is that so?¨ She turned to her prisoners and noticed how Ezreal seemed to channel more energy than usual ¨I guess I can work with one hand¨ With that said she used her left hand to throw the bodies of Ahri and Miss Fortune against the team who managed to catch them, even if they had to disperse a bit. With the right hand she kept draining Ezreal's powers and was able to focus on someone else, the turquoise haired who acted as a spy ¨First… let me take care of you…¨ With her malicious grin the woman ordered all of the spheres to attack Sophie. Everyone was split up and even if Lulu and Janna used their abilities to protect her there was no way they could get in time due to the speed of the projectiles.

The guardian froze in place, this felt like the first time she was in danger last year, however unlike last time there would be no other guardian who would shield her. The world went to silence as her heartbeats were the only thing she could hear.

At least at first since a familiar voice was calling her out as a flash of red went in her way to stop the spheres from wound her. This person was the one hit by the projectiles and got pushed, unfortunately for Sophie she was hit by the body and the two of them were sent flying by the entrance, hitting against the metal bars and then crashing onto the ground.

Sophie opened her eyes and noticed how far away they were from the group, she was still uncertain who was the one who protected her and by the time her eyes looked down she knew.

¨No… no Jinx… why? WHY?!¨ Sophie grabbed the marksman and allowed her head to rest on her legs. Jinx was still conscious, her abdomen didn't seem to move at all, her breathing was painful and it was already complicated for her to move. The black and white familiars returned to their original form and looked at the two girls from above.

¨Y-you… are safe¨ The red haired smiled and caressed the cheek of Sophie, wiping one of the tears that were falling ¨D-do you think… I'll let my partner in crime…¨ She took a deep breath, even the support noticed how painful it was for her ¨I'll let my partner… get injured?¨

¨You could've died! I… wouldn't be… I can't lose you!¨ Sophie wiped of the remaining tears and looked at Syndra with anger in her eyes ¨She has to pay… I need strength… power¨ The guardian stood up, moving Jinx to the wall so she could rest and then gave a few steps forward ¨If only…¨ That's when the girl noticed something strange; Shisa was a strange turquoise glow ¨What? W-what's happening?¨

¨Channel your energy Sophie!¨ The familiar suggested and the student did as told.

It felt like the first time she transformed, a surge of energy going through her body as she floated in the sky. A lot of her was changing and most noticeable was the fact that on her upper back a pair of white wings appeared, similar to the ones Jinx has, however the lower ones were still there. The outfit remained its bright colors but the design was a mixture of hers and Jinx, allowing for more movement despite still having her hooves.

As the transformation ended Sophie was now once again touching the ground and extended her hand but instead of her staff it was now a rocket launcher from which Shisa transformed from.

A brief silence from everyone who looked at the transformed guardian. It was all serious until she looked down and noticed all the changes ¨This… this is…¨

¨You stole… MY STYLE! AGAIN!¨ From behind Jinx seemed to have recovered a bit, the enough to yell at her partner.

¨I'm sorry Jinx, but whatever it takes to protect you¨

The marksman opened her eyes in surprised and blushed ¨W-well if you insist…¨

¨SOPHIE!¨ The voice of Lux dragged the attention of the turquoise haired who saw another barrage of dark spheres heading towards her.

¨Shisa, you ready?¨

¨Fire!¨ The voice that came from the rocket launcher made the guardian smile. She pressed the trigger and a star-shaped projectile was flying in the direction of the orbs with the objective of destroying them.

The moment the first sphere and the rocket collided there was an explosion, it seemed to work at first but only one of the projectiles was destroyed, the rest were still flying in the direction of the student.

¨What now?!¨

 _¨Let me handle that¨_ A different type of voice was heard from behind the girls, it was a familiar one and definitely if they were correct it would mostly be surprising.

In front of Sophie and Jinx the ground was raised, creating a wall of stone that protected them from the spheres. As they turned their heads the two girls saw a familiar person however instead of using the academy's uniform it was a completely different one.

The same dark-skinned girl that the two of them knew was now wearing a small dress that allowed her thighs to be exposed, a pair of white knee-long boots with two ribbons at each side of her ankles. Her back was exposed and in the front a pink ribbon held the six-point star in her chest; she wore gloves but the most distinct feature about the clothing was the cape-like detail that surrounded her neck and covered part of the dress and her arms. The hair was tied up in a bun that went up and had a tiara with a star in the middle. Unlike the other guardians she had a different pattern of colors, pink mixed with peach that combined with her skin color.

¨T-taliyah?! But… but you are…¨

¨I am here to help you…¨ The brown-colored eyes from the student were now a vivid pink. From behind the new guardian a small animal appeared, a fluffy sheep with a star on its forehead and wings to the sides; in the same vein as the girl it shared the same colors ¨ _We_ are here to help you¨ She smiled and with a move of her hand the wall went down.

Everyone were dumbfounded when they saw the third person appear from behind the wall, especially Syndra and Janna who started to remember someone from their past.

¨No… no it can't be, you should be dead!¨ Syndra roared, it was like a nightmare, seeing a familiar face who should've been gone for thousand years already.

¨This is impossible… Taelia?¨ Janna whispered but it attracted the attention of her fellow guardians who saw as their advisor was shedding some tears.

Jinx slowly stood up, and used Kuro as her weapon, ready to fight the evil guardian once and for all.

¨You sure you can fight?¨ Sophie asked to her friend who was still trying to catch her breath.

¨You're my partner in crime but you won't use that as excuse to steal my look and my guns¨ She chuckled and then looked at Taliyah ¨And just because you saved 'phie and me doesn't mean you are part of the Star Guardians, even with powers!¨

¨I told you not to call me that!¨

¨Is she always like this?¨ Taliyah was already happy, not only because she was starting to discover her powers but because she could help the people she followed for so long, and by the looks of it she seems like she could fit right in.

¨It gets worse, trust me¨

¨Hey! Less chatting and more butt kicking!¨

¨Then you better hold on because we are going surfing¨ Taliyah said with confidence and the ground beneath the three guardians rose up and created a single big board that could fit the girls.

With that the trio was now returning to the battle and with their new addition the Star Guardians won't fall against the evil mage who was still empowering herself with the help of Ezreal.

¨Oh? You're approaching me?¨ Syndra frowned ¨It matters not, one more Guardian to kill won't change the outcome, the Dark Star will come and your world will be doomed!¨

* * *

 **That was quite the chapter I wrote there and it is still not over.**

 **For a big while (and this can be taken back to last year) I wanted to see Taliyah as a Star Guardian; while we don't know for certain the skin will exist (we got Season 3 coming this year) I've been studying a lot of concepts of how she would look as a SG and finally I am able to put her in the story, I am so happy.**

* * *

 **Games and college take a lot of my time that I could be using for writing. Thankfully I was able to post this chapter before the weekend, now comes preparing the finale of the arc as well as the epilogue.**

 **It is getting quite late but it is never late for Discord: discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **I am bailing out for now, gotta start thinking the flow of the next chapter because the epilogue is (sort-of) done at this point. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to follow, fav, review, send hate mail.**

 **This was Tourvelix to remind you that Battle Academia Katarina with glasses would've been much better than without. I am out and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	77. Chapter 77

¨Who's that?¨ Reginald asked while trying to be behind cover along with Ekko ¨Do Star Guardians grow from trees?¨

¨She looks familiar¨ The other club member tilted his head, they couldn't recognize the new girl ¨Do you think we know her?¨

¨I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest…¨

Syndra frowned at the guardians that were still able to fight ¨Why do you still fight? The Dark Star will consume this world, it would be better for you to surrender and give in to its power, perhaps the suffering will be minimal¨ She grinned, still extending her arm and draining the energy of Ahri, Sarah and Ezreal.

¨Surrender like you did?¨ Lux countered ¨We will not be slaves of the Dark Star, we shall be free and the ones that will defeat the dark!¨

¨Yeah way to go Lux!¨ The newest member, despite trying to keep a serious face, couldn't stop but to be excited. The rest of the team looked back at her with not-so happy faces ¨Uh… sorry, this is all new to me¨

¨I should be embarrassed of myself, the very own creation of Taelia and Janna… living under my nose¨

¨Uh… phrasing¨ Jinx's added her own commentary, even though it did not stop the evil woman from talking.

¨Guess I'll end someone's legacy today too¨ She looked at her hostages and smiled ¨Fortunately for you, I only need one¨ With her other free hand she separated the trio, leaving Ezreal alone ¨You can have them, the blond is still mine¨ She pushed the two female guardians towards the big group but Riven and Poppy were able to catch them.

¨We have to rescue Ezreal¨ Sophie said as she aimed the rocket launcher at Syndra.

¨Wait, you can't fire at him!¨ The dark-skinned girl said with worry in her voice ¨You'd kill him with the blast!¨

¨I fail to see the problem¨

¨Jinx!¨ Lux was not happy with that comment and turned towards the girls who saved the other two guardians ¨Take them somewhere safe¨

With a nod both Riven and Poppy flew away from the battle and to where both Reginald and Ekko were.

¨What happened to them?!¨ The two boys helped putting both Ahri and Sarah safe, they were still breathing and conscious or barely enough but they were not reacting at all.

¨They drained their energy and will probably won't be able to fight¨

¨I want to go¨ Ren held his word but could barely control it due to the weight it had, while his body recovered he didn't have enough strength to fight.

¨As if¨ Riven gently pushed him ¨You are not going to risk your life¨

¨Come on, we've been through this!¨

¨Which is exactly why you are staying here¨ Riven's crimson eyes went for the afflicted arm of her boyfriend, the veins were pulsing with energy but for some reason he was not feeling anything, not even complaining about it ¨You want to help? Fine, make sure Syndra doesn't capture Ahri or Miss Fortune¨

¨But-¨

¨Will do¨ Ekko interrupted his friend ¨Come on, you want to die?¨ He looked back at Reginald who was pissed to say the least.

¨No, but I also want to help, look I am armed¨ He pointed at the sword but made no effort to raise it up, even he knew that he didn't have the strength to do it.

¨Ren, don't¨ The couple exchanged glances but it was the boy who gave up ¨There's no point in risking your life like this¨

¨You know what also has no point? This conversation¨ Poppy intervened ¨Let's go back¨ The two warriors then left that hiding spot and the president could do nothing but to look at them fly away, disappointed in himself for just being a deadweight.

The battle has already started and despite having more numbers it was Syndra who had the advantage, even if she was holding Ezreal with one hand. The attacks from the mage were ruthless and the shields from Janna, Lulu and Lux were barely holding. Jinx, Sophie and Taliyah were firing from afar but all of the projectiles were consumed by the countless spheres, nullifying the effects of the rocks and explosions.

Meanwhile Katarina was dodging some of the dark orbs going after her while trying to find a blind spot from where to attack Syndra, at first it was impossible but with the arrival of Riven and Poppy, the mage had to focus on more enemies which led her to leave the back open for the assassin to jump and attack.

With a grin the redhead dashed and teleported from her position to the air above the evil guardian, ready to stab her.

¨Knavish tricks won't be enough to take me down…¨ Her voice echoed and slightly looked to the ground, the shadow of Katarina falling down over the mage ¨Pathetic¨ She rose her hand and used Ezreal to knock the former leader of the ASG away; while the blond was still in the air she managed to have control of his body before it hit the ground and pulled him closer to keep draining the energy.

¨How are we supposed to beat her?¨

¨We have to attack, all together!¨ Lux ordered, still trying to shield herself from the spheres.

¨How are we supposed to do it?!¨ Taliyah was nervous already, her first fight was not going in the way of the guardians expected to be ¨We can't even counter attack¨

¨Is that what you truly want?¨ Syndra heard the conversation and the flurry of spheres stopped, causing confusion to all of the girls ¨Fine…¨ The busy hand did a swift movement and Ezreal was gently placed in the ground.

¨Wait, that worked?¨ Sophie looked at Jinx who shrugged in response ¨Why? Or how?¨

¨I came here for a reason¨ In her hand another sphere formed, this one was slightly different and all of the guardians noticed that it was pulsing with energy, a dangerous amount ¨Whether ¨My objective was to harvest the energy of these kids, defeating you was a plus, a bonus. Regardless of that, you already lost¨

¨We'll see about that!¨ Katarina screamed and jumped to Syndra's shoulders, for some reason the purple haired did not offer any resistance as the assassin stabbed her on the right shoulder, making the mage yelp in pain and drop the energy-filled sphere ¨How does that feel? Painful?¨

¨Oh please, I've been hurt in more horrible ways¨ Syndra grinned once again, knowing that she wouldn't give up that easily, even if she won.

¨Kat, watch out!¨ Riven yelled and the leader looked up, a barrage of orbs going towards her but a well-timed shield from Janna mitigated the damage, except that the red haired woman had to jump from the evil woman.

¨This is our chance, go!¨ Lux ordered and casted a light spell towards the mage, rooting her in place.

Riven and Katarina used this chance to start fighting against the orbs that were circling around Syndra. Cutting, slashing and destroying every sphere, reducing its numbers up until the point there were three remaining, the ones that acted as her familiars.

¨We have to minimize the damage!¨ Poppy suggested as she grabbed Ezreal and pulled him out of danger so both Ren and Ekko could take care of him.

¨I got it!¨ Taliyah smiled and raised her hands. Suddenly the ground started to tremble and rock walls rose up, blocking the vision that Syndra had around her. The purple-haired's eye went up and saw that both Sophie and Jinx were aiming with their rockets at the evil mage.

As the projectiles were launched the two guardians flew away and seconds later a huge explosion occurred inside of the walls. Small cracks appeared that ended up fracturing the prison and destroying it. Syndra was laying on the ground, injuries all over her body but with a smile in her face, almost strange.

The familiars from Syndra were going to protect her but the three of them were turned into funny little creatures, part of Lulu's polymorph spell; then Katarina summoned three knives and threw them at the transformed animals who disappeared in a pink smoke, leaving no trace to them.

The girls surrounded the now defeated mage who was now laughing.

¨What's so funny?¨ Janna asked, she had the most reason to be angry at her ¨You lost¨

¨Did I?¨ The voice of the mage was now back to normal, all the purple veins started to disappear ¨I won, the Dark Star won, you and your First Star are done¨

¨Why did you do it? Why Syndra? Why betray our team? We were close¨

¨You didn't see the bigger picture, didn't you?¨ A sigh, it sounded of disappointment ¨The First Star is losing ground, the power it once had is dwindling, how do you think the Dark Star has been making a lot of advances? Why do you think there are no more Star Guardians?¨ But Janna did not respond as she saw that the former teammate was slightly more transparent, as if she was going to disappear ¨Do I have any regrets of what I did? No, not at all¨

¨So what you're saying is we are lost?¨ The guardians looked at each other after hearing Lux' words ¨No… I refuse to believe that, I know we can defeat the Dark Star¨

¨In his current state perhaps, but not after the gift I'll give to him. It doesn't matter how many of you are or how strong you can get; the Dark Star will be unstoppable¨ With those last words Syndra started to laugh until her body disappeared, the only thing that was remaining from her was the eyepatch that was crushed by Janna's staff.

Everyone remained silent, trying to digest everything that happened. For a powerful mage this ended up being an easy fight; the academy was not destroyed except for some minor damage in the courtyard but outside of that everything was a success but none of the guardians felt like it was.

From their hideout Ren and Ekko came out ¨What happened?¨ The president asked, attracting the attention of everyone.

¨Syndra is gone, we are all safe¨ Lux answered, she was still not satisfied much like everyone else there ¨At least Ezreal, Ahri and Fortune are safe, right?¨

¨Unconscious but… yeah¨ The reply from Ekko gave some relief to some of the girls; his dark eyes went for the latest guardian ¨It seems your group is bigger now. Who is she?¨

The moment Taliyah was about to say something she got interrupted by Sophie who remembered something vital about the now deceased mage ¨Wait, Syndra had a sphere, right? One that she charged with power¨

Everyone looked around and Poppy was the first one to find out what happened to it ¨Sir!¨ She yelled and everyone turned to see who this person was.

The principal, he grabbed the sphere and had a closer look, almost curious of this strange orb.

¨Princ- Uh… sir!¨ Lux tried not to give much information at first ¨Please give us that, it is something from our enemy and we don't know what it can do¨

¨You are the Star Guardians, yes?¨ His head rose up, looking at the group of girls and the two students in the back ¨I have to say, that fight was exciting, you are strong and I have to thank you for keeping this place safe¨

¨Please sir, give us the sphere¨ Janna took a step forward, extending her hand but the old man was not giving the item that easily.

¨I have been trying to follow you, trying to find out who you all are but… it escaped me, now don't get me wrong this job of yours –if you can call it a job- is interesting... but I must say it does not make me happy¨

¨We do our best to keep the city and its people safe, there have been damages but we try to avoid them¨

¨I know, I know¨ He presented the orb to the group, raising a brow ¨Is this what Syndra had? I presume you would like to have it¨

¨Please, if you could give it to-¨

¨Wait¨ Jinx cut off Lux' words ¨How do you know it was Syndra?¨ She asked and everyone was not understanding what she meant ¨We never said that the woman we defeated was her¨

Something was off and Jinx was right, but the principal just grinned ¨Well well well, I am surprised that the short fuse of the group noticed the mistake I did, but enough smoke and mirrors as you would mortals say…¨ Behind him a portal opened, similar to the ones that the minions from the Dark Star used to come out ¨I am afraid I must leave with this gift¨ His voice turned, now with more echo and a dark and vile tone to it ¨But fear not Guardians, this is not the last time we will see each other, and neither will be the last time you hear from me, Reginald¨ His dark eyes turned a more vibrant purple and were directed at the boy with the sword ¨You better keep your arm safe¨ The strange man chuckled and crossed the portal, no one could do anything as the gateway closed quite rapidly.

¨What was that?!¨ Taliyah questioned, still uncertain about what she saw.

¨Whatever it was, we have to leave¨ Ekko pointed at the opened gates ¨Come on Prez, we gotta bail¨ He tried to yank Reginald away from there but he was stunned in place, looking at his arm ¨Prez? Are you okay?¨

¨We'll worry after we get out of here, Kat help me¨ Riven yelled at her partner and the two of them grabbed Ekko and Reginald and flew away from the academy.

The majority of the guardians did the same as they pulled the unconscious ones out of there. Jinx, Taliyah and Sophie were the remaining ones in the courtyard.

¨What now?¨ The newest member asked, looking at the other two ¨I still have a lot of questions¨

¨Like everyone else, come on¨

¨That's her way of saying we'll answer you later. For now let's follow the rest¨ Sophie replied and the three girls left the courtyard, both Jinx and Sophie had to carry Taliyah since she still didn't knew how to fly.

* * *

 **And that's it, end of arc right there. Well, not really since we still have the epilogue of this arc and the teaser for what's coming next.**

 **I liked writing this arc as well as the addition of Taliyah in the end, it will be fun in the next part.**

* * *

 **CormadeBill:** _I see a Jojo reference here..._

 _"Oh you are approaching me.."_

 **I felt that it was appropiate with the era we live in, also in the same vein: Sorry not sorry.**

* * *

 **I'll have the epilogue soon, unlike the battle I have everything planned except how to put the connection to the next arc which will be interesting, especially with the current skins that are in the PBE.**

 **But I can't say more because teasing is part of a writer's life.**

 **And the writer's life also comes with promoting Discord!** **discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **It is my time to go back to the writing board and with that I bid farewell. Don't forget to follow, fav, review and meme the hell out of the PMs.**

 **This was Tourvelix to remind you team passes are a scam and should not be bought.**

 **Have a nice weekend and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	78. Chapter 78

An hour passed since that battle, the investigation club along with the ASG went one way while the Star Guardians and the unconscious members of the new squad took another path.

The girls went to the farthest part of the city and landed on the rooftop of a skyscraper, letting Ahri, Sarah and Ezreal rest near a wall while the others were still trying to reassess the situation, most importantly their next integration to the team. At least the majority of them did since Jinx and Sophie were by the edge, looking at the city and the academy from their location despite being very tiny to see.

¨So… the principal…¨ Poppy started the conversation as she placed the hammer on the ground and used it as a seat to which Lulu decided to have a sit as well.

¨He was the Dark Star, our enemy, right?¨ Lulu continued, looking at all of the other girls who were still pondering on what happened.

¨To think a person we saw almost every day was our biggest enemy. Hiding under our noses and waiting for that moment to appear¨ The leader was still uncertain, it happened so fast and while they managed to score another victory for their team she couldn't shake the feeling that they actually lost ¨This feels like a bittersweet moment¨ She then looked at the marksman and the support, they weren't doing anything just looking at the horizon ¨And I feel they have been happening a lot lately¨

¨Syndra is gone so that is one evil out¨ The hammer guardian spoke up once again ¨But think about this Lux, not everything is bittersweet for all of us¨ She pointed at the mentor of the team who couldn't stop looking at Taliyah, the latter also looking back.

¨It feels… strange, to look at you like that¨

¨Am I strange?¨ Taliyah looked at her clothes, confused by the words of Janna ¨I mean look at how we are dressed in a place like this, I don't feel cold or anything¨

¨No it's… you look like your mother¨

¨Y-you knew my mother?!¨

¨Yes¨ She nodded ¨Thing is… in a way… I am also your mother¨

¨Wait… what?!¨ The newest member looked at the others but none seemed to be surprised by the words of the pink haired ¨Why isn't anyone reacting to this?¨

¨We already knew¨ Lux' words were repeated by the others in form of nods ¨She told us the story¨

¨This does not make any sense, Janna said I had a mother but she is also my mother… how do you… you know… is that even possible?¨

¨Haven't you ever had questions? About where you come from? Who your parents are? Or why are you so interested in the Star Guardians?¨ Janna got closer and pointed at the star in the girl's chest ¨You are the latest one of our kind, you are not a human, you are a star¨

¨A star?! Like…¨ She pointed at the sky and received a nod in response ¨But… I have a human body, and so do you. I don't get any of this¨

¨Then this will be a long story to tell you…¨

As Janna was giving Taliyah that long explanation, Sophie and Jinx were still looking at the horizon, contemplating in silence.

¨So uh… gotta say, your transformation really came in handy¨ Jinx's words came out as if she was slightly timid, not even looking at her friend.

¨Thanks¨ But Sophie was pretty much on the same spot ¨I… haven't said thank you for saving me back then, who knows what would've happened¨

¨I know yours could've protected you more¨

¨What?¨ Sophie immediately turned and noticed that Jinx was smiling and having a small glance at the girl's chest, it took a few seconds for the support to notice and blush ¨How can you think of that?!¨

¨Oh come on, it was a good joke!¨ The rebel couldn't stop but to laugh at the expression her partner made ¨But yeah, if something were to happen to you… I don't think I would be able to live with it. Like, everyone in the team is cool with the midgets, the old lady, Lux and now Taliyah… but… in a way fighting this entire time alongside you was different, it felt… magical¨

¨Well yeah, we are some sort of magical girls¨

¨No not like that! What I mean is… whenever I'm close to you things feel… different, and for the better. When I saw Lux kissing Ezreal last year it felt like my world was gonna crumble, you know? Then you were there and we were fighting together and… it felt something, until this year came¨

¨The kiss with Ezreal¨

¨It was the second time that stupid gold-head ruined everything, and when I saw that kiss… something in me broke. But for some reason I wanted to believe that wasn't true, that you wouldn't do it, that you-¨ Her words were cut off when she felt something peculiar, someone was grabbing her hand and when Jinx looked at who that other hand belonged to it ended up to the person to her left who was smiling back at her ¨Then you showed up at the door and told us that you loved someone else and… I was afraid¨

¨Then maybe… I don't know, I feel this could be a bit rushed but… we could try and-¨ But Sophie's words were cut off when Jinx jumped at her and couldn't stop but to hug and kiss her partner in the lips to which at first it was impossible to break this and while Soph was in fact enjoying it she had to push the red haired away ¨W-wow…¨

¨What? What's wrong? Did I do it wrong?¨

¨No no, it's just that I wanted a more… slow start. Besides it is something that will take time to tell the others¨ And as soon as the support said that the two of them looked at the other guardians who were looking back at them ¨Or… you know, just do it in front of everyone¨

¨Did you just?¨ Lux and the others were pretty much confused among other things.

¨Yeah, I did, and I would do it again!¨ Jinx took Sophie's hand, almost an angry look in her face ¨Now stay away from her, she is mine!¨

¨What happened?¨ Another voice was heard, one that everyone recognized. As they turned their heads saw that Ahri was trying to get up but was still weak ¨Where… where am I?¨ She looked at the guardians, almost confused for a moment before she remembered the battle ¨Wait… Syndra!¨

¨She's gone¨ Lux commented ¨We defeated her but…¨ The pink haired looked down ¨We lost¨

¨Wha? What do you mean you lost? If Syndra is gone then-¨

¨The Dark Star appeared¨ Janna added, her voice was serious and gave Ahri some fear ¨It gathered the energy from you three and now is stronger¨ She sighed ¨We know it will come once again¨

¨No, he didn't gather _all_ the energy¨ Ahri frowned and summoned her familiar who allowed her to transform back to her guardian form, the only problem was that it lasted very few seconds before she went back to normal ¨I want to fight¨

¨Like that?¨ The hammer Yordle never liked the idea of Ahri becoming a Star Guardian, regardless of how powerful she could've been or how useful she was ¨If anything you'll be an easy pray for the Dark Star, you should sit down and let us do the entirety of the work.

¨And what if you fail?¨ Ahri still felt the words from Lux, she was afraid that their enemy was now an even bigger threat ¨You need people, you let someone else join and you are okay with it but when I try to help you are against it?¨

¨Ahri, listen. We don't know what do to know, sure we'll have to fight, but we have to calm ourselves down and prepare for what's coming. Right now you are not in a good state to fight and you could get yourself killed¨ Ahri crossed her arms and looked to the side, she was still angry ¨Focus on recovering, then we'll see what we can all do, yes?¨

¨Fine…¨

There weren't many words left as the guardians grabbed the other three members and left them on an alleyway before they parted to their respective homes. Despite the lack of words in the end they still had a lot to talk about.

…

Katarina looked around the bedroom, inspecting it with disdain ¨So this is how the peasants live¨ She wasn't too happy while being in that place.

¨Kat, come on, we have to be thankful Ren's mother said nothing to us¨

¨You know that any place could've worked!¨ The green eyes from the assassin went to the boy in the bed, at his side was Riven who was having a closer look at the boy's arm who returned back to that `infected´ state with all of the veins quite noticeable ¨How is he?¨

¨I can feel energy in his arm, wild energy but there is nothing else I can do¨ Riven felt disappointed, not in the result of the battle but in herself. She was unable to do anything and anyone else in the room was pretty much in the same spot.

¨We have to find the guardians; they will help me¨

¨Sure, we'll ask them for help, after all they left their big enemy escape!¨ The leader of the ASG was furious and she turned to Ekko who was mostly turning her head at the different people who were talking ¨What are you looking?¨

¨It's just… the principal, you know? He was the bad guy this entire time?¨ The club member shook his head ¨In any case, what's going to happen now?¨

¨Bad things I am afraid¨ Riven stood up, still looking at her boyfriend ¨We'll have no chance but to fight.

¨Damn right we're going to fight¨ Katarina added.

¨I'll come to¨

¨Oh no sir, you have already proved that a deadweight is more valuable than you are, you are staying away from this¨ Once again Kat answered to Ren with a more violent and angry tone in her voice ¨You want to help? Don't interfere because tell me one thing you have done during that fight?¨

¨I…¨

¨Kat, enough¨

¨Thanks Riv, I just want to-¨

¨No¨ This time it was Riven the one that was furious, looking at Reginald from above ¨You are not going to fight, no matter what. I don't care if you have a weapon or you actually know how to swing it; you tried helping and look what happened¨ She pointed at the cursed arm ¨The Dark Star has eyes on you and what will happen next? Perhaps you will die? None of us know but we are going to let you go out there and figure it out? No. If you are in danger, you run, you try to contact me or Kat and we'll solve things¨ She turned at the other girl in the room ¨The same goes for you Ekko¨

¨Sure, will do¨

¨W- seriously?! You can't go agree to what she is saying!¨

¨Prez, let's be honest, you have a badass sword but there was nothing we could've done, I don't want to die and neither do you¨ Reginald grunted, not responding to that ¨I suppose we should leave now¨

¨Wait, let me bandage his arm¨ Riven went for her bag and pulled a few bandages then proceeded to kneel in order to cover the infected area.

Once done the other three guests looked at each other, almost awkwardly ¨What? Are you expecting some sort of royal court to escort us, get a move on!¨ Katarina's annoyance was noticeable in her voice and in her actions as she was pushing Ekko out of the room.

¨Don't forget Ren, please¨ Riven said and turned off the lights in his room and closed the door. The footsteps of the guests were barely audible until they were gone.

Despite being annoyed, the president was afraid, he looked at his arm and thought about the time that voice talked to him, it wouldn't surprise him if it returned ¨This has to end…¨ He whispered and looked at the ceiling, his days were far from calm and felt that the guardians would also have hard time from now on.

…

The night arrived and the streets were almost empty, under the lights a young blonde girl with crystal blue eyes was having a hard time walking since one of her ankles was sprained. Trying to contain the tears, not from the pain but from the laughter of the other dancers that mocked her poor technique.

¨Those idiots…¨ She muttered ¨I will become the best ballerina, then they will stop laughing¨

¨ _Having a hard time?_ ¨ A strange male voice startled her and turned around.

The girl saw two people, on the front an adult man, quite old and holding himself with the aid of a cane, his clothing was a dark suit that had seen better days. Behind him a hooded man who remained mostly in the shadows but something peculiar could be seen, a purple glowing eye that was observing her.

¨W-who are you?!¨ She tried to take a step back but that caused her to fall to the ground.

¨Wait, no no¨ He kneeled, almost painfully ¨I mean no harm if that is what you are wondering. But what I do ask myself is: Why is a young girl like you with a sprained ankle walking in the middle of the night?¨

¨Stay away!¨ She tried to hit the old man but he quickly dodged it ¨I'm gonna call the cops!¨

¨Please, remain silent¨ He smiled and held his hand in front of the girl, then went for the injured ankle and touched it. Magically the pain started to disappear and the dancer could move normally, as if nothing happened ¨I am just but a helper¨ He stood up and offered the same healing hand to the girl to stand up.

She accepted but confusion was still on a high level ¨What happened? Who are you?¨

¨Oh my little girl, my name is not of importance, but you can call me a friend. And I have to say, I admire your dance moves, very pretty¨

¨You… observe ballerinas?¨

¨My daughter used to be one but she… unfortunately had an accident¨ The old man looked sad, remembering a painful past ¨She was like you, a dancer with some… problems but in the end she managed to overcome everything and became quite the expert, until…¨

¨I am sorry to hear that¨

¨Perhaps I can help you¨

¨You are going to teach me how to dance?¨

¨I know your dancing partners make fun of you, I would like to give you another chance¨ He put his hand inside one of the pockets of the suit, trying to find something.

¨So what is your point here?¨

¨Like I said before, I am but a helper, and here…¨ He pulled from the suit a strange orb, it was purple and pulsating with energy.

The dancer felt attracted at this strange object, almost wanting to touch it ¨What is it?¨

¨My offer for help¨ The man offered the sphere and she grabbed it, captivated by it ¨Now, my girl in exchange for that I would need you to do something for me: What is your name?¨

¨My name?¨ Such a strange gift was clearly appreciated but what the man wanted in response surprised her ¨I am Orianna¨

¨Orianna!¨ He chuckled, his old tone turning a bit different, almost with an echo ¨Such a wonderful name… for a slave¨

¨A slave?! What the-¨ But before she could even react her actions were no longer her own, the blue eyes from Orianna were now purple and the girl could only see.

The old man grabbed the sphere and had a better look at it, a malicious grin that could only be associated with an evil person, was reflected on the magical object ¨Now…¨ His hand went for the girls chest, most specifically where her heart was located and managed to insert the orb inside of the dancer's body ¨You shall do my bidding Orianna; find the Star Guardians, and eliminate them¨

¨Yes, my creator¨ The blonde's eyes turned back to normal and started to walk back to her home, almost as if that meeting never happened.

The old man ditched the cane and fixed his suit in the blink of an eye, becoming a different type of person, the hooded man from behind got closer, his prominent purple eye looking at him ¨What is your plan, creator?¨

¨Time, my powers are recovering and what I just gave to that poor mortal was just a tiny fraction of it. If she manages to defeat the Star Guardians then I will be impressed, but I expect nothing. This little experiment is nothing more than just obstacles in the way of those guardians, and if I am correct¨ He looked at the darkened sky, despite being a clear sky there was only one star shining ¨The First Star will be no more soon¨

¨I hope the creator's plan is a success¨ The two men walked to the nearest alleyway and opened a portal, in a second the two of them disappeared.

 **End of Arc III**

* * *

 **I'm starting to feel all the arc ends are bitersweet somehow, they do have some victories and then some defeats, certainly this is one of them as the Dark Star and Ren is now in more trouble due to his arm which unfortunately will go down from here. But the Star Guardians managed to save Ahri, Ezreal and Sarah and of course we got Taliyah and some family meeting between Janna and her.**

 **Then again, Orianna will prove to be a valuable tool for the Dark Star and his new lackey as well.**

 **This fourth arc shall be interesting but shorter in comparison to the third one and I know how the end will go, it shall be _stellar_.**

* * *

 **That was quite the ride I must say, I enjoyed writing Ahri and the rest of her team as well as the addition of Taliyah which of course will see more action in future chapters.**

 **But for now I must say farewell, hope you enjoyed the chapter: Don't forget to follow, fav, review, send PMs, memes, your match history.**

 **It is that time, don't you think I forgot about it** **discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **This was Tourvelix to remind you we'll have more Star Guardians later this year and if it's not Taliyah I will be disappointed at Riot. Also the new Champion is weird.**

 **I am gone and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	79. Chapter 79

**Arc IV**

 **The influence of the Dark Star**

* * *

The weekend arrived and there was certain commotion back at the academy with the mysterious disappearance of the principal, as a result one of the higher ups was assigned to the role until they found a proper replacement.

Being Saturday the classes wouldn't start until Monday so everyone had some free time until then, even for the Guardians who had a tough battle. The sun was starting to set and back at the park where the battle against the ASG took place both Sophie and Taliyah were sitting, looking at some of the people walking around.

¨So how did your conversation with Janna go? We all split up but saw that you and her were together. Is it weird that she is… well, your mother?¨

¨Sort of, like we both agreed to be call each other by our names and frankly I like it that way¨ Taliyah leaned back on the bench ¨Truth be told there wasn't a lot of discussion, she told me about her old team and Taelia, then she promised me to help me develop my powers¨

¨Just be wise about it and don't share your secret to anyone else¨

¨What about the club?¨ Sophie turned wondering what she meant ¨The Investigation Club, they should know¨

¨I don't think it would be a good idea, like I am going to assume you'll be meeting with us at the at the Literature Club. If you tell Ren, Ekko and the others of your powers then they'll start connecting points and will figure out that the people from that other club are in fact¨ She turned around to see if someone was listening to this last part ¨Star Guardians¨ the support still whispered these words, trying to be careful about it.

¨Don't worry, I have that covered¨

¨What about Ren? How is he?¨

¨You could always ask him¨

¨Let me remind you that I _wasn't there_!¨ Sophie corrected her friend who nodded in response ¨You know I can't just call him and say `Hey, how's your arm after the Dark Star threatened you?´ No, that would be suicide¨

¨Alright don't need to go to the extremes¨ Taliyah sighed ¨We haven't spoken but Ekko told me he was… pissed, he wanted to fight yesterday and is now in his house with the arm bandaged, aside from that I don't know¨ The girl also wanted to talk about a different topic that remembered and was curious ¨So… there something else I want to talk about… you know…¨ But Sophie was not understanding what she meant ¨Between you and Jinx, so you two are… close now?¨

¨Yeah it's… uh…¨ The girl blushed in response ¨It's complicated, I told you to come here because Jinx also wanted to meet me here. Truth be told after we all split up we didn't talk much, I don't know what she would like to…¨ Her voice trailed off and the two guardians looked up and saw the cyan haired looking back at them ¨Jinx…¨

¨'Sup¨ Her dark pink eyes focused on Taliyah ¨Can you leave? I have something important to talk to her¨

¨Uh… sure¨ She stood up and started to walk away from the couple ¨I'll talk to you over the phone¨ And with Taliyah gone it was Jinx who occupied her place.

¨So…¨

¨So…¨ Jinx got closer to Sophie, looking at her and reducing the distance between the two of them ¨You and me are something now, right?¨

¨Y-yeah… I think¨ She opened her mouth to speak again but this time it was the marksman who stopped her by kissing the support. The latter did not retaliate, instead she enjoyed the moment and held Jinx' hand in the process.

By the time they broke the kiss the two girls were smiling ¨So what do you say? We make it official?¨

¨Well the rest of the team knows so I guess we can¨ Sophie nodded and looked in the direction Taliyah left, she was by the entrance of the park before she took a turn to the right and was no longer visible by the two guardians ¨What do you think of Taliyah?¨

¨What about her?¨

¨Like, she was a guardian and a powerful one it seems, and she was hiding under our noses this entire time. However, I am worried¨

¨Why's that? Taliyah proved to be useful yesterday¨

¨It's not about her¨ The smile in Sophie's face turned into a more serious one ¨It's the Dark Star, we basically gave that thing a huge amount of power¨

¨So what? Look, ever since you joined us we managed to defeat a lot of things, the big monster from the academy, the one at the park, Katarina and her stupid team, Ahri and her equally stupid team-¨

¨I mean, Ahri was on our side¨

¨But she was stealing our job! We were the ones supposed to defeat the Dark Star and look what happened because of that¨ Jinx huffed and crossed her arms ¨But I guess not everything went wrong yesterday, we got one new member, the other team is out of commission¨

¨And my friend is marked by our enemy¨ Jinx turned, tilting her head ¨Reginald, you know, the president of the Investigation Club¨

¨Oh yeah that idiot, meh, I'm sure he'll be fine¨

¨I'm not sure, I want to keep an eye on him as well as what the Dark Star could do¨

¨Look Soph, I said it before, ever since you joined we managed to defeat a lot of enemies, our group is getting bigger so I am certain that nothing will stop us¨ Jinx stood up and grabbed her girlfriend by the wrist, forcing her to stand up as well ¨If anything, the only thing you should be worried about is me!¨

¨I don't like the sound of that…¨

¨Neither will the Dark Star¨ The rebel grinned and this time held Sophie's hand ¨Come, I'll walk you home¨

By the time the two girls started walking from the park they didn't notice that someone was watching them. In her hand a small black hole contained by a what it looked like a small metal contraption that was moving around this sphere; while she still had a normal human figure her eyes were nothing but a purple glow.

¨Star Guardians…¨ She whispered and kept following them with her gaze until they were no longer seen and in just a blink the observer also disappeared.

* * *

 **And with this short chapter we begin the fourth arc, unlike the last two this one will be shorter compared to those and will have more fighting because as you know the Dark Star has plenty of minions out there and now that he regained his power it can do a lot of new tricks in order to stop the guardians.**

 **But as always it's kind of a downtime before conflict and we have to see both characters, Sophie so far is having a great time with Jinx while Reginald... well he is not that good at the moment and I believe this arc will make things worse for him.**

* * *

 **Time for me to wrap this up. Took a month of vacation to focus on college, games and other things. Hope you enjoyed the chapter don't forget to follow, fav, bla bla bla.**

 **You thought you were safe from it but no!** **discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **This was Tourvelix to remind you we'll have TFT ranked and I am so bad at that gamemode. Until then I bid farewell with my usual message:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	80. Chapter 80

The light was still green, the cars were moving and there were few students waiting for the crimson light to let them through.

Reginald was wearing the academy uniform except that he tried to hide his arm with the long sleeves. During the weekend he felt normal, slight pain but none of the symptoms he had the last time. As he waited someone stood by his side, someone familiar but instead of his usual demeanor he looked tired, as if he needed more hours of sleep.

¨Morning¨ Ren said to his friend who looked like a zombie ¨I know it sounds obvious but have you slept well?¨

Ezreal slowly turned his head but remained silent, a menacing look in his eyes who could scare anybody but the president just chuckled ¨This was a horrible weekend¨

¨Yeah I agree, at least it was a victory for the good guys¨

¨Not so much victory¨

¨What happened to you actually? It seems Syndra drained more than just your powers¨

¨Not really¨ The blond cracked his neck by moving it to both sides, making a loud noise and the look in his face gave it away that it was painful ¨I can still transform into a Star Guardian but I feel drained, I was in bed the entire weekend, same for the rest of the team. What about you? Syn gave you quite the beating to your arm¨ Ezreal looked at his friend's arm ¨Ekko told me the aftermath but I want to hear it from you¨

¨I… I don't know, truth be told this weekend was pretty normal, aside from the battle but my arm felt… I dunno, like usual?¨

¨Maybe Syndra's magic disappeared the moment she was defeated?¨

¨Hey Prez! Vice!¨ Ekko yelled as he waved at his fellow clubmates, to his side was Taliyah also smiling and waving at them. By the time they were close and greeted each other the boy just placed his arms around Ren and Ez's necks ¨So how was your weekend, because I know mine was boring¨

¨Y-you are strangling us¨ Reginald grabbed the arm that was choking him and was able to move It slightly so he was able to escape ¨Well glad for you it was boring, despite we were fighting against death¨ He turned to the girl who was silent so far ¨What about you Taliyah? You missed all the action, actually no, that was lucky of you to miss it¨

¨Heh¨ She chuckled almost nervously ¨I guess I was lucky, Ekko told me everything and how the guardians defeated Syndra¨

¨What now? That's not what I told you! It was clear that me being there was the reason she lost¨

¨And not the Star Guardians and their newest member?¨

¨Newest member?¨ The kid raised a brow, almost confused by the words used by Taliyah ¨I never mentioned a new member¨

¨Ah! I… I uh… someone else told me, y-yeah it was Sophie!¨

¨Sophie was there?¨ Reginald asked, not remembering seeing her during the battle ¨That was too dangerous for her!¨

¨Wow, if you are going to be a hypocrite at least don't do it in front of me¨ The four students turned and saw both Katarina and Riven arriving.

¨How's your arm feeling?¨ Riven asked to her boyfriend, trying to get hold of the infected limb but he immediately moved it back ¨Are you okay?¨

¨Yeah just… try not to touch it, it hurts a bit¨

¨Can we all meet at the club's classroom after all periods are finished? There is something we need to discuss¨ Everyone nodded at Katarina's words and noticed how the lights turned red and everyone started walking except for Taliyah who was locked in place by the redhead. The leader of the ASG grabbed the girl by the arm and they both started to walk, trying to have some distance with the main group so they couldn't hear their conversation ¨Have you told them?¨

¨Told them what?¨

¨You know what I mean, Riv and I were hesitating whether you told your friends about your powers¨

¨N-no, I promised my team that I would remain silent about it. Everything is dangerous for them already and with that knowledge… I fear that the Dark Star might attack them¨ She looked at Ekko, he seemed happy while talking to both Riven and Reginald ¨I don't want him to get hurt¨

At first the assassin was confused and it was when she saw the boy ¨You wanna keep idiot boy number two safe?¨

¨Ekko is not an idiot!¨ After hearing his name the student turned but Taliyah just waved at him ¨Don't you love someone too?¨

¨Yeah but unlike you I told Garen and our relationship did nothing but to improve¨ As they approached the academy Katarina let go of Taliyah and went back with the rest, making the new guardian think about the words of the leader.

…

The hours passed, the periods did too and the whole group met as per Katarina's request. The classroom was locked and the curtains were closed so no one would see what kind of business they were doing there.

¨Alright, I suppose you are all wondering why I called you here¨

¨Is it about the new guardian that appeared last week?¨

¨No¨ The redhead took a small pause to have a quick glance at Taliyah before continuing ¨We all know that the Dark Star has recovered its power and that is a big problem, especially since that thing hasn't abandoned the city¨

¨What do you mean?¨ Ezreal was curious as he saw Katarina searching in her pockets, then she pulled a small vial that had a dark purple dust inside ¨What's that?¨

¨I've been following some suspicious people this weekend and apparently some disappeared in thin air but what I have here is the proof I need¨ The girl started to walk towards Reginald, her face was nothing but complete seriousness. The president tried to keep some distance from Kat but she was able to use her magic to teleport forward and getting very close to him. She grabbed his hand and placed the vial close to the infected hand.

The result was slightly expected by Katarina but she did not thought Ren would be screaming in pain. Riven had to intervene as she grabbed the vial and separated both students.

¨WHAT WAS THAT?!¨ The student started to scratch his arm, most specifically the point Katarina touched with the vial.

¨Apparently some residue from the Dark Star, the people I've been following leave this thing before disappearing. I needed to make sure it was something of our enemy¨

¨Wait wait wait¨ Ekko interrupted ¨You said you've been following **people** , that is plural, are you saying there is more than one Dark Star?¨

¨You have all seen how that thing summoned a lot of its minions to battle, with that new power anything is possible, probably make more powerful beings and whatnot¨ She turned to Reginald ¨Unfortunately it seems our fellow president is in fact one of them¨

¨Wait¨ Riven stepped in front of Katarina, almost worried by that accusation ¨You're not saying Ren will turn against us¨

¨I'm not¨ She got closer to Riven's ear ¨But I would not get too comfortable around him while this war is still going¨ A whisper was more than enough to give the white haired some fright ¨Alright, that was everything, have a nice evening¨

With a cocky smile the leader of the ASG walked away from the classroom, her job was done but unfortunately this revealed something worse. The Dark Star had more followers than they expected and while the Investigation Club were the first group to find out, it wouldn't take long before the guardians find out about this information thanks to their spy.

* * *

 **Now everyone will know that the Dark Star has more than just simple creatures, but will they defeat them? That is for the story to develop later but for now, the chapter is over.**

* * *

 **HelloStranger:** _Love how the story is progressing forward so far. Can't wait to see what happens next :D_

 **Thanks! The story right now might be a bit slow but will pick up faster with some battles in between!**

* * *

 **It has been some rough weeks, been complicated with ideas, motivation to write and college but thankfully I managed to finish the chapter before next week.**

 **Hope you enjoyed it, don't forget to follow, fav, review, send PMs or Fortnite dances (please don't)**

 **It is not a chapter of mine if I don't post this right?** **discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **And with this I bid farewell, this was Tourvelix to remind you that Riot released a new patch today so don't forget to update your clients.**

 **Time for me to keep studying language so until then:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	81. Chapter 81

Ever since Taliyah joined the team the rest of the girls decided to take some time after classes to train her and of course to improve her existing skills. They always met at the forest outside of the city where they knew no one would go check and they were also pretty close in case the Dark Star decided to attack again.

The girls like Lux, Lulu and Sophie were sitting by the rocks and stumps working on their homework, sometimes looking at both Jinx and Taliyah who were doing target practice. Poppy was destroying some branches and even some tree bark with her hammer so Janna could use her wind powers and make the little fragments fly.

¨You have to anticipate, If the thing you want destroyed is already flying you can't just aim at that position, you will miss¨

¨It is not that easy you know? A rock is not as aerodynamic as a bullet¨ Taliyah added, making a small pointy stone float in the palm of her hand.

¨Aero-what? Is that something you can do?¨

¨We learned that last year during physics, don't you rem- oh who am I kidding, you spent the whole class doing nothing¨ Sophie rolled her eyes, holding the science book while waiting for Lux to finish writing down the answer.

¨How about you come here too and practice shooting, I can be a good teacher!¨ The rebel said those last words with a seductive yet sarcastic voice.

¨If you are a good teacher then I can join the academy's basketball team¨ Everyone laughed at that comment, except Jinx who frowned and the four guardians who were training went back to their business.

¨So what do you think?¨ Lux said under her breath ¨What is your thought on Taliyah?¨ Her eyes slightly shifted to Sophie.

¨As a friend or as a guardian? Well, I guess both would be in essence the same, she is a great friend who knows how to keep secrets; as for the other… well, despite having one battle which ended up being a victory I can see her powers being useful, plus she is an actual Star Guardian, like Janna¨

¨Like mother, like daughter¨ They looked at the two girls ¨She even controls the wind, sort of¨ Lux then turned to Sophie ¨What about you? You also have some new powers that are similar to Jinx, is it because you and her are…¨

¨What? No! Or at least I don't think so¨

The familiar of the support materialized and floated between her and the leader ¨This goes way back from last year, remember when you and Jinx touched the artifact that switched your powers? It was hard to explain but ever since then I felt something strange that was developing, a new type of power¨

¨And you ended up releasing it at the best moment¨

¨Which means you have to practice it!¨ Sophie sighed, despite having a good relation with Shisa she still hated whenever the small creature did that. Then the guardian felt someone tugging her uniform and when she turned there was a drawing by her side with the hand of Lulu holding it from one of the corners.

¨What is it?¨

¨A drawing for you¨ Lulu said cheerfully, handing the piece of paper to Sophie.

¨Oh that is nice, Lulu¨ The girl answered and looked at what the Yordle made. It was a forest with all the guardians there, including Taliyah, all of them were happy (or at least that's what the expression the young one depicted in everyone), the strange thing was that out of all the team members there was one that did not fit there, it was a stick person but it was purple and to the side of it was an equally colored ball; this stranger had a smile but was frowning at the same time ¨Uh… what is this Lulu? What did you draw?¨

¨It is us!¨

¨Yeah I can see that but who is this other person?¨ Sophie pointed at the strange purple stickman.

¨A new friend¨

While they were having that conversation the other group kept practicing, except that Taliyah felt something. The rocks around her stopped floating and hit the ground as she turned around, almost uncertain of what was happening.

¨Are you okay?¨ Janna asked, walking towards the new team member but stopped the moment she felt that something ¨Wait… you feel it too, right?¨

¨What is it?¨

¨It reminds me of something… Syndra…¨ Janna whispered under her breath and looked at all the trees, she knew that feeling was not good.

Jinx noticed this but before she could say anything her eyes caught something between the trees and not far away from their position. She slowly walked there to find out what it was. Once there the guardian saw a strange purple orb that emitted an abnormal glow, it was slightly bigger than a basketball and of course it gave the rebel some curiosity. She turned her head around but no one was paying attention.

¨Everyone must be blind…¨ Jinx said to herself and by the time she was close enough to the sphere she moved her hand to touch it. She felt a tickling sensation on the index finger, as if that sphere was sucking the air gently.

¨ _Throw_ ¨ An unknown feminine voice came from the same sphere and this time Jinx felt like a strong wind trying to capture her, much like a black hole. In just the blink of an eye the strength of said sphere was enormous.

Jinx wanted to scream but felt something at her feet, the earth beneath shook and it moved upwards, pushing the guardian away from the black hole and towards both Janna and Taliyah. The rest of the team helped the now red haired girl up as they transformed and prepared to fight.

¨What was that?!¨ Lux called, looking at the sphere that was sucking everything in its surrounding.

¨Looks like a black hole¨

¨In this city?!¨

¨It is no coincidence; a black hole looks to devour things… much like our enemy¨ Janna answered to the leader.

¨The Dark Star is here?!¨ Taliyah was probably the one that reacted the most out of that comment, it was her first fight after their biggest enemy recovered its powers ¨What are we going to do?¨

¨The same thing we have been doing for so long, we will fight¨

The black hole charged up and was able to suck the trees and bushes near it, even destroying some of the ground beneath it. Once it was over the sphere slowly moved to the left and all of the girls were following it with their eyes. When it stopped they noticed someone, a person or at least that's what they thought; it had a feminine figure, perfect for a dancer but the space between the legs and the belly was distorted as if it was missing, the head also was disconnected from the rest of the body, creating an entity that was far from being a human but still kept some features. The head was long but any parts like nose, ears or even mouth were not there, just a pair of dark purple glowing eyes and a jewel-shaped emblem on the forehead, glowing with intensity much like the ball which was now floating between the claws of this monster.

¨That is not the Dark Star…¨

¨It's one of its minions¨ Poppy summoned a buckler on her empty arm, ready to throw ¨It is no surprise that thing is capable of creating more monsters¨

¨But look at that, she is different¨ Everyone noticed that unlike the creatures they have faced already this one was more human-looking ¨And doesn't look like Syndra¨ The turquoise haired mentioned, holding her staff and switching between Taliyah, Jinx and this new enemy.

¨ _The Dark Star wishes to see its enemies dead. The Star Guardians must be eradicated¨_ The trademark voice type of the creatures, a terrifying echo, void of any human tones.

¨It spoke…¨ The guardians looked at each other, worried about this new enemy.

¨Does it matter?¨ Jinx said cockily, allowing the minigun to appear in her hands ¨We are here to destroy it!¨

* * *

 **The first fight against the minions from the Dark Star but of course this won't be the last one as there are many more out there (And please Riot don't add more for now, I want to put an end to this arc eventually)**

* * *

 **HelloStranger:** _R.I.P Reginald. My first reaction is to hope that Reginald doesn't turn against his friends but I'm quite curious to see what could happen if the Dark Star takes control of him. Now that I think about it is Reginald secretly Kayn in disguise? :thonk:_

 _P.S: Star Guardian Urgot where are you when you are needed? A meme question but is there any chance of Star Guardian Urgot being added into the story? O.O_

 **Can't say anything about Reginald although your theories do seem interesting, as for Urgot what I can say is he is out there fighting the Dark Star and unfortunately won't be able to provide support to the rest of the team**

 **SiRoLoL:** _Well, I figured I should also add a review to the mix._

 _This chapter, although short (make them longer REEE), was pretty decent. There was a fair amount of plot progression, including some added growth for Taliyah and potentially a way to make Ren feel even more miserable (which also sounds like character development to me)._

 _However, even though all of this is great, the chapter still felt like it lacked something bigger. It's almost like this and the previous chapter could be merged into one. It's probably due to the length, but it's not too much of a deal._

 _I found it enjoyable and even though there were a few grammar errors (but I don't like going too much into those), your writing was still understandable and consistent throughout the entire thing._

 _I give this chapter a 8/10 because it wasn't bad, but it wasn't groundbreaking or memorable either. I personally felt it lacked some depth, but this is pretty standard for the first few chapters of a story arc. Not everything can be a 10/10, after all But overall, it wasn't a boring read, and I'm pretty excited for the next one!_

 **Thanks for the review, the idea is that chapters are often divided between Reginald and Sophie so hence why they are not that long (And 10 more excuses I tell myself to not make long chapters)**

 **I will try to make some development for more characters in between the fights (because let's be honest now is not the time to have a whole chapter dedicated to a character's past lul)**

* * *

 **New chapter before I go to college again, I'll see how to manage with times after that. Next chapter however will be once again from the side of the guardians but Ren and the club will have some interesting stuff to investigate.**

 **As always: Follow, fav, review, PM, smoke signals, anything. I will be happy to read everything that comes to my mail and I will be glad to answer if possible.**

 **Also as always:** **discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter, this was Tourvelix to remind you that we will have the Pantheon rework in two weeks as well as a new Star Guardian event this year, here's hoping the Champs are good.**

 **Time for me to leave but before that my usual words:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	82. Chapter 82

¨Here it comes!¨ Taliyah yelled and Poppy jumped in front of the group, using her hammer to hit it like a baseball and send it flying away but unfortunately the ball turned and went for another attack.

¨Not this time!¨ The Yordle said with confidence in her voice and did a swing only this time the projectile predicted the movement and avoided the weapon and struck immediately in the middle of the group, getting stuck on the ground. Before they could do anything the sphere started sucking them in but the newest member was fast enough to raise the ground beneath the rest of the guardians and pull them away of the orb.

By the time all of the girls recovered the strange woman had her weapon back to her side and looking at the team.

¨We have to destroy that thing¨ Lux muttered, getting in position to cast a spell.

¨But how? Poppy already tried and we were almost sucked into that black hole, this isn't Syndra or Katarina we are facing, it is a new type of enemy whose power might as well be stronger than all of us¨

¨You forgot the part where it's all of us against her, Soph!¨ Jinx said cockily, summoning her weapons ¨We will not let a single monster defeat us¨

¨Maybe if we talk to her?¨ Lulu's suggestion was heard but clearly none would follow it.

¨You seriously think she's going to listen at all?!¨ Poppy answered and raised her buckler.

¨What if she is different?¨ They all turned to Janna ¨She doesn't look like Syndra but it's closer to the Dark Star, however her energy is… well it has a different pattern¨

¨Does it really matter?!¨ Just a few words came from Jinx' mouth before using the rocket launcher and shooting in the enemy's direction but as expected the mini black-hole sucked the projectile like nothing ¨As long as that thing exists we won't do anything to her!¨ The voice was now louder and showed how angry she was.

¨We will have to use our powers combined for this…¨ Lux ordered but was not doing anything since she noticed the strange woman was not moving at all ¨Why isn't she attacking though?¨

¨Perhaps she is waiting for us to do that¨ Sophie took a step back, preparing her staff in case of a sudden movement from the minion or the sphere itself.

¨No… this seems off, she's not even doing-¨ The words from the leader were cut when the enemy moved, or at the very least did something since she grabbed her head and fell to her knees ¨Team, surround her!¨ All of the guardians flew around the woman and kept a safe distance from her and the black hole but this person was not doing anything at all, in fact she started to scream and the sound it made felt like she was suffering a lot of pain ¨What did we do?¨ She turned to see Jinx but this one shrugged.

As the questions ended the guardians saw something peculiar in this person. The corruption that took possession of the body was slowly receding to an area in the chest up until the point that it was no longer visible and instead a normal person was kneeling with her hands still covering her face. Orianna looked up and saw the team all around her, almost ready to attack.

¨W-where… where am I?¨ Her voice was shaky, she was afraid and had no idea what happened.

Sophie was about to take a step towards this girl and help her but Poppy used her hammer to stop the guardian in her tracks ¨Who are you?¨ The Yordle asked, uncertain whether this was a trick to catch the girls with their guard down

¨M-me? I'm… my name is Orianna Reveck. Are you… are you the Star Guardians?¨

¨We might be¨ Lux continued with the questions ¨What is the last thing you remember?¨

¨I… I was walking back home from my dance class and… and… I met some people¨ The team looked at each other before returning to Orianna ¨They… they seemed interested in me and talked to me… the next thing was… he wanted to talk about the Star Guardians... the next thing I don't know¨ She tried to stand up but her body was weak and thus fell to her knees again.

¨That must be the Dark Star…¨

¨After Syndra it was possible for our enemy to use human to host that power… a puppet¨ Janna mentioned considering she fought against the Dark Star in the past.

¨So we can assume that we will have to face more of these enemies¨ They all nodded and Lux walked forward to help Orianna stand back up ¨Don't worry, everything will be fine, we are here to help you now¨

¨T-thank you… I wish I could help you more, but I can't remember right now¨

¨Don't worry, you already gave us a clue to work on, we'll take you home now Ori-¨ The leader's words were cut off, her eyes widened as well as the ones from the rest of the team since they were surprised.

Orianna coughed and some blood came out of her mouth, when she and Lux looked down they noticed that the belly of the dancer had a big hole that was made by an arrow, one that appeared from behind and pierced Orianna. The color and even the energy that the projectile had was familiar to all of the girls, it was the same as the Dark Star.

They all turned and saw someone on top of a branch, a mysterious male figure wielding a bow in one hand, his face was malformed and had a strange mark hovering over what it would be the forehead. The physical body looked like it wore a metallic armor and from some cracks it had some energy coming out of it.

¨No traitors… the Dark Star will not forget those who served it¨ A menacing and echoing voice came from the `mouth´ of this newcomer. With a movement of his free hand Orianna started screaming. The arrow that pierced the girl acted as a black hole and it started absorbing her. Lux tried to pull the projectile from the girl's belly but Janna and Taliyah pulled the leader away in case she was also sucked.

It all happened fast, Orianna disappeared in mere seconds and the body was no longer there as well as the arrow that turned to dust the moment it fell to the ground. Now with their weapons ready and in position the guardians faced the archer but unfortunately for them he disappeared.

¨ _Those that are weak will be consumed. You will be next… Star Guardians¨_ The voice of this stranger echoed in their heads until it was no longer heard.

¨Who was that?¨

¨Another of the puppets of the Dark Star¨ All of the girls were looking everywhere, trying to find where this new enemy was ¨Spread out and find him, he couldn't have gone that far¨ With that order given the team started to fly and search the area for that particular _thing_ but unfortunately there was no one.

…

¨REN!¨ Ezreal shouted and saw how his friend was on his knees and grasping at his chest, screaming in pain. The blond ran to help the president as he turned towards Ekko ¨Call an ambulance¨

¨Shouldn't I call Katarina or Riven?¨

¨I DON'T CARE, JUST DO IT!¨ The vice president yelled once again and went to check on the injured student, however by the time he got to him the screaming stopped and so did the wild movements ¨What?¨

Reginald's breathing was heavy and the pain in his chest ceased, he looked up at both Ezreal and Ekko.

¨You ok prez?¨

¨Those that are weak will be consumed…¨ The two boys looked worried Reginald after he said those words ¨You will be next… Star Guardians¨

¨What did you say?¨

The president stood up and grabbed his head, almost as if he had a headache ¨What just happened?¨

Ekko and Ezreal looked at each other ¨We gotta contact the guardians, and fast¨ The three of them got startled when they heard the sound of a phone however it was Ren who picked it up from his pocket ¨How embarrassing, we got scared of a phone¨

The screen showed a name `Riven´ and of course the boy picked the call immediately ¨Riv, something happened?¨

¨Where are you?¨

¨I'm close to the bus stop with Ezreal and Ekko¨

¨Alright, good. Go back to your house, we'll talk tomorrow during club hours, oh and tell Ezreal to bring the rest of his team, this is important¨

¨But can't you tell me over the-¨ The conversation ended as Ren looked at his phone, the call was over and he frowned ¨I guess not¨ He turned to the other club members once again ¨So, what happened?¨

¨Well…¨

* * *

 **What is this? Is Ren getting affected by what the puppets of the Dark Star? Is he a puppet? We'll know more in the next chapter but for now one of the minions of the Dark Star is gone and we already have another one, wonder who more will appear?**

* * *

 **SiRoLoL:** _Critical error;_

 _Chapter too short to review_

 _Jk it was pretty fine, but I may need more of this to cure my depression_

 **Well better get ready because next chapters will try to be more depressive on the side of Ren and later on for Sophie.**

* * *

And with that the chapter is over, college is taking a big toll on my time (and energy) and often when I get back home I either want to play or go to bed so often hinders my writing time. Hence I'll try to get some content done whenever I can.

However, even if collage is a big factor I will not stop posting this: **discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **Time for me to bail, hope you enjoed the chapter, don't forget to follow, fav, review, tell me who will win Worlds. This was Tourvelix to remind you that we will _maybe_ have Star Guardians in the next PBE cycle (next week) and while the rumors do point to some Champs, I do hope there is a Taliyah in there.**

 **As always and before I leave:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	83. Chapter 83

The dreams were vivid, as if he was in that moment but knew that he was never there. The images depicted a forest and from his perspective the dreamer was against the Star Guardians but was unable to control his own movements, just a spectator. It felt strange, seeing the guardians up close and talking back at him but their voices were mute, as if there was no sound.

 _¨What?¨_ His voice echoed but there was no response, instead he felt that same pain from the day before, an object piercing his chest. As he looked down the mysterious arrow pulsing with energy.

He wanted to scream but nothing came out of his mouth, he blinked the moment the pain became unbearable and the next thing the dreamer knew was that he was in the kitchen with the breakfast in front of him ¨What?¨ Reginald asked, only this time his voice was audible, his eyes went from left to right, wondering what happened.

¨Are you okay?¨ A female voice took the president out of his trance ¨Is the academy taking a toll on you?¨

¨W- how did I get here?¨ There was still confusion in his head as he didn't remember waking up or even going to the kitchen for breakfast.

¨What do you mean? I knocked at your door then ten minutes later you came down here for breakfast as usual¨ His mother tilted her head ¨Are you sure you are okay, Reginald?¨

The student's hand went to his chest where the arrow pierced but there was nothing, he then looked at his mother and nodded before grabbing the fork. He needed answers and the rest of the club could probably help him with those.

…

During the entire day he couldn't talk to anyone, either they were busy with their classes or nowhere to be found however they all agreed to meet on the club's classroom after all periods were finished.

On his way he was able to find Ekko and explained to him what happened in the morning.

¨Maybe you were tired and walked to the kitchen without noticing? It's very early in the morning and you may still be asleep¨

¨Impossible, never happened to me and this is a weird time for it to be happening¨

¨I mean, we've been through a lot lately so it wouldn't be surprised your body _and_ mind are stressed¨ Ekko mentioned, remembering that the battle with Syndra happened not too long ago ¨So about yesterday, is your chest still hurt?¨

¨No, I don't feel anything, it is very weird you know?¨

¨Yeah, I can imagine¨

The president and the club member entered the classroom and saw Taliyah and Zoe talking, although the former was not interested too much in the discussion. They both turned when the boys entered ¨Ah, you finally arrived. Where are the others?¨

¨Nowhere to be found, I don't even know if Ezreal came today¨

¨Oh! He is! I saw him today talking with the other Star Guardians!¨ Zoe joined the conversation, of course she would know about the vice president.

By the time Ren and Ekko left their bags on one of the desks the door to the classroom opened and a group of three entered, the new team of Ahri, Miss Fortune and Ezreal, the first two frowning at those who were already there.

¨Sorry, took me a while to find them¨ The blond apologized, referring to the other two guardians.

¨Ezreal told us that you all had something important to tell us, what is it?¨ Ahri crossed her arms, waiting for the response of the president.

¨Well… I don't know, Riven told us to be here but she is not here for some reason¨ Ren shrugged as he pulled his phone to send a message to his girlfriend.

¨So we came here for nothing?!¨ Sarah's voice sounded a bit angry, her mood was like that ever since the battle from Syndra, if there was something she could not stand was being betrayed ¨You are making us waste our time¨

¨Not exactly¨ Another voice came from the door and they all turned to see Riven and Katarina, the latter holding an envelope ¨I am glad everyone is here, please gather up by the teacher's desk¨ The former leader of the ASG said and pushed the new guardian team so they could all be together for this private talk ¨I've been gathering information lately and I can say that the Dark Star is surely making lots of moves¨

¨Oh yeah? Why's that?¨ The other leader questioned, looking at the envelop that Katarina had.

¨There have been reports of some missing people around the city, every place where the disappearances happened had some strange dust¨ Riven grabbed from one of her pockets a small vial with the dust ¨It is the same one we brought last time and it belongs to the Dark Star¨

¨So you told us to come here so you could say some people were kidnapped and it was the Dark Star who did it¨ Both ASG nodded and Sarah sighed ¨We can't do anything about it¨

¨On the contrary, you can¨ Katarina opened the envelope and pulled some pictures, all of them were different people. She looked for one specific and showed it to everyone; it depicted a young man wearing the academy uniform, a boy from fourth year ¨Garen knows who he is, he is Jarvan and is the current captain of the basketball team, he disappeared last week¨ She started showing the different pictures to the rest of the group, there was one that made Taliyah widen her eyes.

¨Wait¨ They all looked at the dark skinned girl as she grabbed the picture. It was a young woman with golden hair, there was no doubt that the person in that photo was Orianna, the one who died the day before to that other Dark Star ¨I know her, I… uh… I mean I've seen her. Unfortunately one of the Dark Star killed her¨

¨With an arrow?¨ Taliyah was surprised after hearing that from the president.

¨Yeah… how did you-¨

¨It is hard to explain but… Yesterday I had this strange pain in my chest, Ez and Ekko saw it but when I checked it there was nothing. This morning I had a dream about the Star Guardians fighting someone but this person gets stabbed by a strange arrow. After that nothing happened…¨

¨Ren, let me check your arm¨ Riven got closer to him and started to remove the bandages. It wasn't surprising that the Dark Star infection was still there, except this time it felt more alive than before ¨Has anything else happened to you?¨

¨Well yeah… today I woke up at the kitchen¨ Everyone was confused at these words ¨Like… I don't even remember waking up and going there, I just woke there while my mom said I did walk there¨

¨I keep telling him it's probably stress¨ Ekko added but Riven shook her head.

¨We can't take risks, we need to talk to the Star Guardians and-¨

Everyone got startled when someone knocked at the classroom's door and a professor entered holding a paper ¨The Star Guardian Investigation club? Is the president here?¨ Reginald immediately covered his arm and walked towards this professor ¨The new principal established some new rules at the academy and your club is affected by them¨

¨Huh?¨ He took the paper and started reading it for himself; by the end of it he was stunned ¨Wait is this for real? We are not allowed to have this club anymore?¨

¨WHAT?!¨ The club members on the back shouted.

¨The principal and the other professors have agreed that the Star Guardians have a great influence in this academy, therefore any kind of promotion, activity or anything related to this people will be punished with suspensions. In order to avoid any of this the principal will allow all of the members to join another club despite being this late in the year¨

¨What… but… this can't be happening¨

¨I am sorry but these are the orders from the higher ups. Have a good day¨ The professor said and left the classroom, leaving Reginald with the letter.

¨What do we do now?¨ He turned to the rest of the group who were surprised by the decision made by the new principal ¨We can't discuss our plans here anymore¨

¨Wait… we can, besides I feel that it is time¨ Taliyah suggested.

¨Time? Time for what?¨

…

The door to the classroom opened and Taliyah entered, looking at all of the girls who turned to see the newcomer.

¨Hey Tali, how're you doing?¨ Sophie stood from her chair.

¨I'm good… but…¨ She closed her fists ¨We have to help someone, as Star Guardians¨

¨Uh… alright¨ Lux tilted her head ¨What is it?¨ Taliyah walked back to the door and opened it, talking to someone who was on the other side. In mere seconds all of the members of the investigation club, the two ASG as well as Ahri and Miss Fortune walked into the classroom ¨Wait, what is this?¨

¨They know about the Dark Star, and those who attacked yesterday. Also we have a problem with him¨ The girl pointed at Reginald who raised his sleeve to show the corruption in his arm ¨They have to know… they _need_ to¨

* * *

 **Could this be the moment the barrier between the Investigation Club and the Star Guardians is broken? Will they know the secret of the girls once and for all? Next chapter we'll know.**

* * *

 **So the time has come and we got the new batch of Star Guardian skins. I am not surprised in some of the choices but at the same time I feel sad that some better Champions could've fit for this theme (somethingsomethingTaliyahsomethingsomething). I do have some ideas to integrate the new Star Guardians into this story but I don't know just yet. **

**And that's it this chapter, don't forget to do the usual: Follow, fav and review, send PMs, chocolates and all that.**

 **'Lest we forget: discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **I am gone for now, got some exams and other things to do. This was Tourvelix to remind you that the SG skins will come next week and the event will most likely be similar to what we received so far because Riot is so incompetent that they rather support a gamemode that is losing steam very fast than giving us some more variety from time to time.**

 **HOpe you enjoyed the chapter and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


	84. Chapter 84

Some mouths were open wide, just like their eyes that were trying to process what they were seeing. Before any of that happened Lux sighed and had to agree to Taliyah's plead; some had their arguments about it but in the end they all accepted. The girls from the Literature Club transformed before the group that just arrived, making sure that no one else saw any of this. By the time the change finished most of them were unable to say anything, this goes especially to Ekko, Reginald and Zoe who were surprised (if not amazed in some cases).

¨W-what but… Sophie you…¨ Reginald couldn't understand, his childhood friend was a Star Guardian and she kept that secret for a long while ¨Why didn't you tell me?¨ He took a few steps forward to try and touch her horn but the moment he was slightly closer it was Jinx who stepped in front to block his path.

¨Hey, hands off, she is mine¨ The redhead grabbed the support's hand and kept it close to her, as if she was going to protect her.

¨What? I'm not going to do anything to her¨ The boy raised the bandaged arm and it was met with Janna's staff that was pushing it away ¨What's the matter?¨

¨You are infected by the Dark Star, lately we've seen someone who was consumed by that same power, we don't know exactly how it works but we can't allow ourselves to take unnecessary risks¨ Janna countered as she pulled her staff back to her and looked at the rest of the people in the classroom ¨I suppose we must thank you for keeping our true identities a secret for so long¨

Reginald immediately turned to face both Riven and Ezreal ¨Hold up, you _knew_?! And didn't tell us?!¨

¨I mean…¨ Ezreal chuckled and scratched the back of his head, looking away from his friend.

¨Sophie asked me to keep the secret, even from you. After all she healed my wounds a long time ago¨

¨Yeah, you know how Star Guardians have to keep their secrets, right?¨

¨You told the whole academy if not the city who you were¨ Poppy frowned at Ezreal's response.

¨So what? We did what we thought correct and-¨

¨Ok!¨ Ren interrupted ¨I get it, but you know I am a trustworthy person¨

¨I mean, we all know you are but I made a promise to Lux¨ Ezreal added to what he started before ¨We were going to tell you sooner or later¨

Before the president could open his mouth to speak it was Ekko who voiced his opinion on this topic, or rather on Taliyah ¨Can we talk about Taliyah was with us the entire time and she was a Star Guardian? Like..¨ he shrugged ¨My girlfriend is… a guardian who is fighting all the evil¨

¨Well it is kind of a long story but I could say I was officially a guardian the day Syndra attacked so I am still quite unexperienced¨ Taliyah blushed, slightly embarrassed (in a good way) from Ekko's compliments ¨So… let's get to the main topic, please?¨ Everyone nodded, after all Taliyah brought the whole Investigation Club to the rest of the team for a few reasons ¨Well, first and foremost Ren needs help, his arm is… not good. Is there any way we can help him with it?¨ The girl looked at both Janna and Sophie who were usually the designated healers of the team.

¨I'll see what I can do¨ Janna looked at the other support and nodded.

The purple haired woman held Reginald's hand and slowly removed the bandages. It revealed what she feared, his veins poured with energy from the Dark Star and the skin was slightly turning into a red hue on some spots but it wouldn't take long before it but the most noticeable thing that everyone was worried was that around the hand there was a weird type of bone-colored glove, it felt more durable and gave the impression that it was expanding towards the rest of the arm.

¨What… what is that?¨ Sophie's eyes showed more than worry, it was sadness, his friend was getting affected and she wanted to help but didn't know how.

¨I don't know…¨ Janna whispered and the moment her fingers touched the `bone´ material she felt strange. The classroom disappeared and she was far away, the familiar sight of space only this time she saw something. An old `face´ that made the bad memories resurface.

¨Star Guardians… A creepy voice with an echo effect attached to it.

¨No… the Dark Star… It is looking at us… it knows…¨

The clawed hand tried to reach out for Janna but she felt a lot of hands pulling her from that vision. The support fell to the ground and looked everywhere, she was back at the classroom and everyone was shocked.

¨What happened?!¨ The leader was uncertain ¨What do you mean the Dark Star knows?¨

¨It… it was looking at us…¨ She turned to Reginald this time ¨Much like the others, the Dark Star must be using you, whatever it has planned… _it_ knows¨

¨W-wait no, what do you mean it knows? Y-you gotta help me! I don't want this thing!¨ From the ex-president's eyes the girls could see a small tear falling down. They knew he was afraid, and even Sophie was worried that this might not have any solution.

¨Ren…¨ The support turned back to her normal self and couldn't stop but to cry as well, she went forward to hug and comfort him but Jinx immediately grabbed her, they didn't know if the same thing that happened to Janna could occur again ¨I'm sorry…¨

¨No… don't you ` I'm sorry´ me, that sounds like you gave up¨ He looked at the Star Guardians but all of them either looked away or to the ground, trying to avoid his gaze ¨No…¨ He turned and the others were almost the same, even the white haired girl whose face was showing sadness, she was trying to contain her tears ¨Riven… please not you too… there has to be a way…¨

¨The only way to stop this is to…¨ Janna started, trying to get back up using her staff and afterwards returning to her human form.

¨Is to what? Please… you **have** to tell me if there is a solution¨

¨We have to defeat the Dark Star¨ Everyone remained silent and it was Ahri who stepped forward this time.

¨We promise we will defeat that thing and save everyone who has been corrupted¨ The leader of the other team was certain on what they had to do, unfortunately they had no idea on how they would achieve that.

¨Yeah but what about Ren?¨ Taliyah added ¨He can't stay like that!¨

¨I tried to heal him but the Dark Star is watching Reginald right now, for all we know that archer from yesterday must know too¨

¨Then we'll use him as bait¨ The marksman grinned but earned a lot of angry looks from the rest of the people in that room ¨What? If there is no cure then we might as make him useful, maybe the Dark Star will pop up¨ By the time Jinx finished her sentence the infected student immediately turned and ran away from the classroom, trying to hide the arm with the uniform since Janna still had the bandage.

¨Ren!¨ Riven yelled at her boyfriend and tried to follow him, same for Ezreal, Ekko and Taliyah.

¨Don't worry, he'll get over it¨ Katarina crossed her arms and Miss Fortune frowned at the redhead's behavior.

¨Janna, a minute?¨ Lux looked at the support and the two girls walked to one of the corners of the room ¨Be honest with me, is there something I need to know about Reginald?¨

¨It is worse than it seems, I felt a connection with the Dark Star the moment I touched him. It might be true that killing the `head´ might save him… but I am also afraid that he might turn into Orianna or that archer¨

¨So he is our enemy…¨ The leader and the advisor looked at the other guardians, most specifically Sophie who was hugging Jinx, crying at what happened ¨I don't think she'll be able to do it, neither will Taliyah¨

¨They'll try their best to save him… what I'm afraid though is that saving him might be our downfall¨

¨I know…¨ Lux turned to the rest of the people in the room. Katarina was discussing with both Ahri and Sarah, Poppy and Lulu were doing their own business, then there was Zoe who was partly confused about what happened ¨But it is our duty as Star Guardians to save others… even if it means for our light to extinguish…¨

* * *

 **Things are getting difficult for both sides, Reginald getting more influence from the Dark Star and some of the Guardians won't be able to kill him should the time arrive. But of course the DS has plans for all of its minions and trust me, it will end up bad for a lot of people.**

* * *

 **Eedura:** _is that a jojo reference!?_

 **It has been proven scientifically (By the Speedwagon Foundation) that everything is a JoJo reference if you think hard enough.**

* * *

So the Star Guardian video did show some interesting things. I loved the music (as with the last 2 instances) and even gave me some ideas for the future chapters but unfortunately I will remain silent about it :)

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to follow, fav, review, send memes and more.

It's late, but not late enough to post this: **discorddotgg / 7ZUptrJ (of course the dot should be replaced with a . )**

 **This my cue to leave so let us do the outro shall we?**

 **This was Tourvelix reminding you that Invasion died for TFT. Have a good one and as always:**

 **See you in the next chapter ;)**


End file.
